The Secret of My Success
by up2late
Summary: Bella is a successful romance novelist with unique research methods for her steamy sex scenes. While her leading ladies find true love, will she ever be so lucky? Rated M for FANTASY LEMONS, 1 or more LEMONS/chapter, E/B but non-canon pairings first
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This story is also posted on Twilighted, currently at Chapter 7. I will be updating this one to get it almost caught up... but will be keeping the post on Twilighted running one chapter ahead per week. So if you really want to know what happens next, you'll have to check it out there. ;) Friendly warning: there is a tiny bit of Edward and Bella with other people before they meet each other. So if that's not your cup of tea, please don't drink it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. **

The air was thick with thieves. That was typical for the top secret, undisclosed European city Jessica was currently in. It was the usual exotic locale with cobbled stones that gave way to aqueduct roadways. The air was heavy and humid and a distinct summer musk scented the city so much that she could almost taste it on her lips. Mysterious figures were tucked into crooked corners, rousing the deep-seeded spy techniques that resided in her memory bank. Jessica was on her most alert. The air was indeed thick with thieves but she was only concerned with one of them. Her sights were locked on him but unfortunately his eyes were on her too.

Jessica should have known he'd be expecting her – or someone like her – so it was probably for the best that they ended up in the large, empty room in a hidden corner of the mansion all alone. The high society event that was going on downstairs was like a who's who of the world's most notorious criminals and spies but they were far below, dancing to a ten piece orchestra that sounded like a mere hum from where the thief and Jessica were standing.

Shifting her weight to a stiletto-clad right foot, Jessica was thankful for her current uniform. The designer dress had been updated with a few spy-specific alterations, the most important currently being the slit that rose nearly to her left hip. The pale pink-colored satin spilled down her curvy legs to a soft puddle on the floor. Her cleavage was deep in the tiny triangles that rose out of the sash wrapping just below them. The ballroom had been almost too warm but in this room Jessica's bare back was tingling from the chill. At least she told herself it was the chill and not the man standing across the room that caused it.

He countered her shift with his own and quirked the right corner of his mouth up in a sexy, lopsided smirk. As handsome as he was, Jessica hadn't been surprised when she made her mark. They were always good looking in Europe, part of the reason she didn't mind the long flights whenever she took an assignment here. When he spoke, it was with an American accent.

"Lost?"

Jessica was standing just inside the large double doors that opened to a room that she could only guess was a parlor room. There were elegant, scrolled-arm sofas spaced around the room. Of course Jessica knew everything about the thief standing across from her, so she had known he was American. But like she said, everyone was good looking in Europe and he didn't disappoint. Tilting her head, she could feel her mahogany curls swing against her bare back.

"No. I'm right where I need to be."

"Is that right?" The thief took a step toward her, his grin still in place.

Jessica knew it was dangerous to turn her back on him but her skills quickly assessed that it would be far more risky to have the doors open during their encounter. Gripping the wide brass doorknobs, she quickly closed the doors with a click. Before turning, Jessica had to hide her smile at hearing the thief's sharp breath. She knew how good her ass looked in this gown. When she pivoted to face him, he was a whole lot closer than he had been a moment ago. It was her turn for her breath to hitch.

Jessica stepped back, matching his still-advancing stride until her back was pressed against the door. The thief settled his hands on either side of her face.

"This looks like where you need to be."

"Where you'd like me to be." She corrected.

He leaned in, inhaling deeply as his nose skimmed up and down her neck. He hummed low in response. It was close to a growl and he was near enough for her to feel his chest vibrate with the sound.

"What about what I want?" Jessica turned her face to his as he came back up to it. Taking him by surprise, she kissed the smirk right off his face. His lips were cold and again the tingling settled across her skin. It wasn't just the exposed skin of her back that shivered but she could feel her nipples peak and push against the tight satin that covered them. His response was as expected and within seconds his tongue was in her mouth. Jessica let him explore and take as she calculated her next move. Surely he was hiding a weapon on his person, if not surveillance equipment. She just had to deduce where it might be and disarm him before things went too far.

Pulling away, the thief glanced down at her tits and smiled widely. Removing a hand from the wall he brushed down her shoulder and across her collarbone before cupping his hand under her breast. His thumb lightly grazed the peaked satin and Jessica's body pressed forward into his hand. As his other hand left the wall, she tried to apply the spy skills that were running rampant in her brain to the rest of her body. It was already betraying her and she had a job to do. The thief's other hand found the knot of the sash and pulled; releasing the fabric from her body and causing the thin fabric covered her tits to fall to the sides, completely exposing her. His assault began as his mouth descended upon her taut, pink nipples.

Jessica's brain had now officially disconnected from her body. It let everything below her neck enjoy the pleasure being bestowed while her plan of attack continued to form. With his hands and mouth on her, it was easy enough to slip the cufflinks from his shirt. They were clean, no spy tricks here. Before he could question her removing them, Jessica took advantage of his brief respite to clamp the cufflinks onto her nipples. She gasped at her own boldness and the incredible pleasure that flooded her body at the extra pressure.

It was easy to see the change in his expression but he covered it quickly by shifting his eyes to her face before pulling the silver comb from the side of her hair. While it looked like a move that was meant to free the rest of my locks, Jessica knew he was eliminating possible weapons too.

_Nope, not the comb, Green Eyes._ She thought._ Keep trying. _

The hair was a good hiding place on men, who would suspect a weapon hiding there? She tugged her hands through his silky chestnut hair and the ends sparked copper in the dim light falling from the high chandelier. Jessica's curiosities were immediately satisfied. The first being that he enjoyed her pulling on his soft strands, the second being that no weapon was hidden there. Wait. She meant the first was the weapon check.

He laughed into her lips as he leaned in again for another passionate kiss. Slipping her hands to his that were playing again with her tits and the cufflinks, Jessica pushed his cuffs up his arms until they would go no further. Having his forearms bare, she stroked her way from those lean, exposed muscles to the more defined, rounded muscles still hidden by his shirt. A nice excuse to search for spy equipment.

_My, he did have nice shoulders. Strong, broad shoulders._ It was a calculating thought.

Jessica pressed her body against his and lifted her left leg to wrap around his right thigh. She knew his hand traveled to her exposed hip without the permission of his brain. Now his strong arms were responsible for her body as she leaned forward again, willing him to back into the room. One of those sofas was bound to be nearby. Jessica managed to remove his bowtie and unbutton most of his shirt buttons after she did a satisfactory sweep of his arms and back. Not dropping the bowtie, she let her hands wander the fine planes of his chest and abs, enjoying – she meant, inspecting them for anything out of the ordinary. While they were extraordinary, there was nothing man-made here. All that Jessica was touching was definitely made by some higher, mystical being.

At the same time she was enjoying the most pleasurable frisking she'd ever received. Her thoughts flickered briefly to her extended layover in London and the new, tighter security procedures, but this was far better than that experience. Deciding her back was clean as well – not that Jessica could hide much in a backless dress – the thief had moved onto her ass as he lifted her full weight onto him. The back of his legs pressed into one of the low, long sofas and they tumbled gracefully onto the expensive, damask fabric.

With him lying beneath her, Jessica took advantage of her position and pulled back onto her knees as she dragged her hands down to his pants. His shirt was splayed open and his hands gripped her ass but as she secured one knee on either side of his hips her dress gave way to reveal the lithe line of her naked body. Jessica watched his green eyes charting a line from the pulse in her neck, across her aroused tits, past her flat stomach before settling on her glistening pussy. Now not only her position on him, but his brain's sudden lack of focus, played to her advantage as well. She only had one area left to explore and had a free pass to it right now.

Lowering herself against the bulge in his pants, Jessica rubbed slowly, causing him to pant. He stared at the slightly damp trail she'd left on his trousers as she tried to evaluate the likelihood of a weapon hiding there. It certainly felt like a weapon but there was only one way to find out. Leaning forward, Jessica popped the waistband of his pants open with her teeth and tipped the pull of his zipper with the end of her tongue. Grasping it tightly in her teeth, she pulled the zipper down and was pleased to find no other barrier between her and her current destination.

The thief's cock sprung free, the head already glistening. It throbbed wantonly as Jessica took in the sheer length and thickness before her. She licked her lips hungrily before setting to work. Things weren't always what they seemed. He could still be hiding something here. Tilting her head, she placed her tongue flat against the base of his cock and licked roughly up the underside until she finally reached his head. Dipping her lips around it, Jessica sucked lightly before going back to her search.

"I was wrong before," he struggled to say as his hands found their way into her hair. "This is where you need to be." He groaned loudly as she took his full length into her mouth, sucking him deeply. Jessica was satisfied. Satisfied with her search. There were other parts of her that weren't as sated and she was about to take care of those.

Releasing him from her mouth, she rose to her knees and held out the bowtie in her left hand. It swung gently and he quirked an eyebrow at her.

"You got another idea of where you should be?"

Jessica nodded. "I have just the place for that delicious cock."

Slipping the bowtie around the base of the thief's cock, she lowered herself onto him. He grunted and slipped his hands under her dress to press his fingers into her hipbones. Setting a slow pace, Jessica lifted herself and tugged the bowtie to the right, circling it around his cock before lowering back down.

"Oh god, I used to hate formal wear."

She glanced down at the bowtie as she continued bobbing on his cock. "Oh I think the bowtie looks good on you."

"Not to mention my cufflinks. On you." His hands were back on her tits, twisting the cufflinks and taking her by surprise. Jessica's body separated from her brain again and picked up speed. She could feel her mind rifling quickly through its years of spy training, trying to pick out the next step but there was another part of her that was fighting the business side back. And if the rapidly oncoming orgasm had anything to say about it, her brain was about to lose.

Jessica came fast and hard, riding him until the orgasm had played out. Dropping the bowtie, her hands fell to his chest as he plunged into her, seeking out his own end. As his orgasm came on, she felt herself building again and screamed wildly as they came together. Collapsing forward, they panted in unison. The thief's beautiful torso was shining with sweat. She let her hair brush against his stomach and chest, trying to catch her breath. Inching toward his face, Jessica captured his full lips again in hers and pulled back only slightly to whisper, "You're coming with me."

His lips brushed hers as he shook his head and let out a low laugh. "Already did, baby."

In a movement too quick for him to catch in his post-coital state, Jessica had her right earring off and was dabbing the poisoned diamond against his tongue that was searching for hers. She watched the shock register on his face just seconds before he was out. Lifting off of him Jessica found herself immediately missing the feeling of his large cock filling her so completely.

_Well, they'll be the long plane right home. Alone._ She thought.

Adjusting her dress, she turned to give that still-hard cock one last, lingering lick before zipping him up and placing another kiss on his sleeping lips.

_Always hire a woman to do a man's job. _Especially if that woman is Jessica Stanley.

-0-0-0-

BPOV

Another happy ending, I thought, as I filed away the carefully plotted chapter into the recesses of my brain. I would have to actually write it out later, but knew that I could afford a few minutes to bask in the afterglow of multiple orgasms. And here I was all worried that for the first time I'd have to fake it with him. Not a great ending to our relationship. But I had fretted over nothing. I came, he came, we went out with a bang.

And all too soon the moment was over. I couldn't lose such a great ending. Rising from the couch, I crossed to the bedside table where my notebook was and started to write.

**END A/N: Am shamlessly adding this to so I can submit a chapter for Emmy's Pervy Picspiration of the week - go check out the photos for a hint on what I'll be posting! Also, one final note about the updates on Twilighted... I ask for input on upcoming chapters, so if you want to have a hand in the story, I'd love the help!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks for all the story alerts! So this chapter is a bit of a pet peeve of mine, so I apologize in advance. I'm not overly fond of the rehashing of lemons from different POVs but this will just happen once (I think!) and it's necessary to the plot!**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own Twilight.**

My eyes were closed tight but I could see him perfectly in my mind's eye. His blazing green eyes would be open, trying to penetrate me with his gaze… among other things. I stopped the snicker from escaping my lips and pressed my mouth into a tight line. I needed to concentrate; this was not a laughing matter. Even though his movements were slow and deliberate, his hair couldn't help but fall just past his perfect eyebrows, brushing against his long lashes. The kaleidoscope of colors that made up his auburn hair was made all the more striking against his emerald eyes and creamy skin. He was pale but not so pale that his veins stood out. Except for that one close to his hair line when he got excited. And he was excited.

He was still dressed but not a single closure was fastened. The buttons on his tuxedo shirt were undone, opening the shirt to reveal his smooth, hard chest and stomach. His muscles clenched under the grip I used to steady myself on top of him. His black pants were also undone but only pushed far enough down to get to the goods. As I ran my fingers along his well-defined abdominal muscles, he was behaving and keeping his hands to himself. They stayed still by his sides, resting on the bed. Other than my hands and where I was currently sitting, we were connected and touching in just one place. The best place.

I moved my hands to grip his lower arms, right around his wrists. I needed to feel him. Running my palms up his bare forearms and past his elbows, I could feel the tense muscle at the base of his biceps. The rest of his well-sculpted arms were hidden under his shirtsleeves. We had rolled up his sleeves after removing his cufflinks. Those had been the first to go. But they were still involved, clamped firmly onto my taut nipples. They were good. Really good.

My hands wandered up to the sides of his face to his hair. I dragged my fingers through the copper brown waves and pulled back towards his hairline using my fingernails. A groan escaped his lips. I did it again and again until the groans turned into one, long and endless moan that rumbled from his throat. His head rose briefly from the bed before I could push him back down. My eyes were still closed but it helped me to picture him if he stayed put, beneath me. He knew this and managed to find himself and settle back down. The groan lessened but didn't disappear. I felt my way down to his neck and pushed the collar of his shirt open a little more. His bowtie had come off second. We'd had a little fun with that. I would have to remember to try that again because I was pretty sure there were even more possibilities that could come up. Not that I needed him to try some of the stuff I was thinking about. I could manage just fine on my own with that little slip of satiny fabric.

Finally I reached back down to his hands, tugging them free from the mattress below us. It was time for his hands to be back on my tits, I was ready. I circled my thumbs lightly over my extended nipples before letting him take over my movements. Letting my arms fall back to his stomach, I arched my chest into his hands. My mouth dropped open slightly and he took the cue, applying more pressure on my nipples. Pulling and pinching now, keeping the pattern just varied enough that I wasn't quite sure which sensation I would feel next. He was close. I could feel him holding back, barely. It wasn't important to me if I finished. Again, something I could manage to take care of later by myself. But it was important to him. And if this was our last time… I wasn't usually so sentimental but it would be a nice send off. A nice thank you. Keeping my eyes tightly closed I let my mind wander to the bronze hair and green eyes. I was always better when my imagination took over. I didn't necessarily need the actual sensations; just the illusion of them would get me by. And it should, I was paid well enough for those illusions. Of course, that being said, I was also pretty good at putting on a show when I needed to. And I didn't mind faking it for him this one time.

Turns out I didn't have to. I came suddenly; it almost took me by surprise. He followed not three seconds later, pulling me under with him again. I rode out the amazing sensation that pulsated through me before finally catching my breath. In a heaving sigh he pulled out of me. I smiled and rolled to my side, laying next to him. I finally opened my eyes.

My green-eyed, bronzed-hair fantasy was gone. The man in his place was tall and handsome in his own way but that was where the similarities ended.

He was the one with his eyes closed now, panting, exhausted. In an almost startling contrast to my imagination, his arms were quite tan while still muscular and his left one was strewn across his face. I could just make out his bottom lip from under his arm and I watched it twitch for a minute before the corner lifted in a smirk. He didn't move his arm when he spoke.

"Goddamn, Bella. You got writer's block or something? That took forever."

I laughed and sat up, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. Reaching for my notebook, I furiously scribbles notes in shorthand for a few minutes. The bed creaked a little as he sat up behind me. He was quiet but probably looking over my shoulder.

"If I didn't know better I'd think you were keeping score. Course I can't be sure, you write in that damn chicken scratch code."

He wasn't just looking over my shoulder now; his chin was resting on it. I shrugged him off me – that was my writing arm – before I continued.

"What the hell does "C-F-L-K" mean anyway?"

Shifting my notebook away slightly, he leaned over my shoulder and followed my gaze down. The cufflinks.

"Oh right."

I scribbled the last of my notes before snapping the cufflinks off and standing.

"These are yours now. Use them wisely," I tossed the cufflinks to him. He rolled them over in his hand for a minute while I started searching for my clothes.

"You really liked these, huh?" He kind of murmured. I answered with a murmur of my own and he grinned widely. "Alrighty then. I'll have to remember that."

I managed to find my panties and dress, but was still searching for my bra. He stood with a groan and took the dozen steps into the bathroom. When he emerged the tux was gone and in its place was a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. My bra must've made its way over there because the next thing I knew he was tossing it over to me.

"You touched my hair this time. It's been awhile since you've done that."

"Hmm," It was a noncommittal sound on my part.

"You finally working on something where the stud has short black hair? A hot soldier maybe?"

He shoved his feet into the sneakers that had been sitting next to the bed before turning to me.

"I know, I know, it's top secret. It'd be nice to see some resemblance finally sneak in there though, Bells."

"I thought you didn't read them," I countered.

"Ahh… I don't."

I laughed.

"Claire does though, god she's obsessed. So I see the covers all the time. The guy never looks like me."

Guilt rose up in my chest at the mention of her name. Claire. His girlfriend. I packed my notes and guilt away.

"How is Claire? Things going well with you two?"

"I think so," He paused. "You know, I'll be sad to see you go. I don't know when I'll see you again and you're one of my best friends. But I think this is for the best."

I'd known they were getting serious. At least he was. Most girls tended to be serious with him but he wasn't the dating type. Not since me. Since us. Until now. And I was happy for him. He was right. It would be a good thing for him to concentrate on with my move coming up. Not that me moving was a big loss for him, it had been years since he'd been in love with me. We would always love each other but the 'in love' part was far in the past.

"I'm glad I chose a tux for this one then. Maybe you can use it again someday," I winked.

He was balling the tux up into his arms as I spoke.

"Yeah right," he snorted. "Not sure I see the princess dress and tux in my future with Claire. Barefoot on a beach maybe. Definitely. Wonder if I could get her in a thong bikini…"

It was my turn to snort now. He sat on the bed and sighed happily.

"She'd do it, Bella. She's it. And it doesn't matter how we do it. I just want her."

I nodded and swallowed thickly. This would make it easier for me too. If he didn't have someone I might be tempted to fly him out toBostonin a few weeks when writer's block really did set in. I didn't know any men there and wasn't sure if my imagination was going to be enough to get me by. But this was good, I reminded myself again. A clean break, a fresh start.

I crossed over to the bed and put my briefcase down next to him. He was tall enough that I could see eye to eye with him as he sat.

"I can't thank you enough. And I'm so happy for you. Both of you."

"Maybe this is a sign, Bella. Find someone."

I shook my head and winked. "There'll never be another one like you."

His head fell into the back and forth rhythm with mine. "That's not what I meant."

Leaving the balled up tux in his lap, he placed his large hands on either side of my face, holding my head still.

"I am glad you called me for the last time. I know you've been pulling away, using me less. And I appreciate it. I know I'll have to tell Claire someday. I just hope she'll understand. She really loves your books. I've got that going for me."

I hadn't realized he had noticed that I was using him less over the last few months. I knew Claire was someone special the first time he mentioned her to me and I'd felt guilty even then about calling him. I'd gone back to Embry for most of my research in that time. Embry was a good choice because he'd never confuse what we did with something more but I had nothing else in common with him. He was never my friend. And maybe I just overlooked it in the past, but he finished a little too fast for me to get exactly what I needed out of the meeting. If I wanted to write about a kidnapped princess getting herself off, he was the perfect guy to be with. But I doubted my readers wanted that.

"Have her call me if you need to. I'll gladly explain it to her. Maybe throw some autographed copies her way."

"God, she'd freak. Thanks. I'll let you know how it goes."

We pulled each other into a squeezing hug. When we pulled back, I scruffed up his short black hair with my fingers and looked back into his eyes.

"I'll think about the hair, okay?" I lied. The bronze hair flashed in my mind.

His eyes and lips crinkled into a warm smile. "Does that mean I'll have to model for the cover?"

I lightly swatted his shoulder. "Sorry. I can't have everyone knowing the secret to my success."

He chuckled and stood up. We made our way to the door, me with my briefcase in hand and him with his tuxedo ball. Just outside the hotel room, he slipped his arm around my waist and hugged me again.

"Good luck inBoston. Travel safe."

I felt a tug on my coat pocket and looked down to see his hand slipping away from it.

"You keep those cufflinks. Inspiration."

I smiled and raised up on my tiptoes to give his square, tanned jaw a light kiss.

"Thanks, Quil. Good luck to you too."

**END A/N: Anyone surprised to see who "helps" Bella out with her research? Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Time to meet Edward, Emmett and Alice! A little warning, Edward plays a little hanky panky with someone other than Bella, so if you'd rather not read it... skip the first part.**

**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. I only wish I did.**

EPOV

Grrrrrrrrrr

What started as a purr slowly escalated to a growl and that was all the encouragement I needed. Swallowing the feral sounds that ripped from her throat with my mouth, I pressed my thumb forcefully against her clit as I thrust roughly with my hips. She thrust back, meeting my every push with unbridled enthusiasm. I found myself with little to do, other than hold onto my self control, as her hips lifted from the bed. Squeezing my cock tightly in her pussy, she swiftly pulled back, slammed her ass into the mattress. The tugging sensation was unreal and when she locked her ankles around my lower back I sunk in even deeper.

Her growling and snarling turned into actual nips and bites at my lips before she surprised me by flipping us over. The sight hovering over me was like something right out of some Animal Planet show about African lions. I was flat on my back and almost put my hands up in a defensive move. Almost.

Her feet were flat on the bed, just on either side of my hips and she was crouched low enough that the head of my cock was still inside her. Goddamn, that was hot. The wild mane of fiery hair around her head was pretty good proof of just how fucked she was. In a good way. The best way.

She dropped lower in her crouch, sinking onto me further and growling again. Roughly grabbing her own tits, she stretched her nipples out and threw her head back in ecstasy. There was no way I was going to hold on much longer. Resuming her earlier pace, she speared herself on my cock over and over. Thank god the sensation building in my lower abdomen was enough to overpower the painful slamming of her ass into my hip bones.

Building and building. She was close, the growling and snapping of her teeth increased as did her nipple tugging and twisting. I tried to get my hands in there but they were slapped away and while I contemplated guiding her hips I thought it best to stay out of it. Instead I placed them behind my head and enjoyed the show.

With one final roar, she slammed her clawed hands into my chest and dragged her long nails down my torso.

_Fuck, that shit hurt!_

The orgasm that exploded from me when her nails reached my hips was half pain and all pleasure. I was pretty sure she drew blood this time. A thought that was confirmed a second later as she dipped her head down to my stomach and licked lightly. When she lifted her head, I saw the slight red stain on her wide, smiling lips.

"Mmm. You taste good," She licked her lips and a brief image flickered in my mind. The African lion took down its prey and thoroughly enjoyed the hunt and kill.

As she lifted herself off of me and padded across the floor to the bathroom, I just lay still, finally starting to feel the stinging lines that were marking my body.

_Whoever said there was too much sex in advertising obviously never met Victoria._

-0-0-0-

I was so late getting to work I could only pray that Emmett would be even later. Passing through the wide glass doors with the words Cullen Creative frosted across them, I was relieved to find the office fairly quiet. Greeting the receptionists and nodding to a few other employees on my way down the hall to my office I was pretty sure I'd beaten him in. Thank god. The last thing I needed was the grief he was bound to give me. Smirking a little I couldn't help but think how little it would truly bother me. It might be worth it, in fact. Victoria had been good. Good enough to go at it twice last night and then once again this morning. I winced a little as my dress shirt brushed against my marked chest, but even that had been worth it in the end. Maybe good was an understatement. She'd been great.

Throwing open the door to my office I had just made my way over to my desk that sat right in front of the floor to ceiling window when I heard a slow creaking. I turned to see my office door slowly closing, revealing Emmett sitting right behind it with the biggest shit-eating grin on his face.

"You're late," he smiled.

"I have a good excuse." Remembering my earlier thought, I corrected myself. "A great excuse."

Rolling his eyes, Emmett stood up. I noticed the stack of papers in his hand as he made his way over to my desk. I settled into my chair and tipped back slightly.

"What's that?" I nodded to the papers.

He threw them down on my briefcase. "Final budget for the Budweiser spots." He didn't make a move away from my desk, instead he leaned forward on his hands, hovering toward me. "You're lucky we don't have any meetings this morning."

I shrugged and smiled again. "I'm not that late."

"No. But I say err on the side of caution and just do the deed here next time."

I slipped a little too far back in my chair and put the front legs back down on the floor.

"Em," I started to warn.

But he leaned back and pulled his hands up in a defensive motion.

"I'm just saying. You fuck her against that glass wall behind you and not only will you have a nice little memory every time you look at it, but you'll also be on time."

My twin brother and his lack of a verbal filter. Sadly, I had been thinking the same thing the second he insinuated that I bring a girl here. As twins we had that in common, often thinking the same thing. But I happened to have a filter on my brain that he seemed to be lacking, or ignoring. I could never really decide which.

Emmett started for the door.

"Victoria again?" He called over his shoulder, turning just enough to see me nod.

"Every time we do a job for Sapphire Bombay you have to hit that, huh?" He smirked.

"What can I say? I enjoy red-headed copywriters," I started flipping through the budget.

Emmett was almost out of my office when he slapped a hand on the doorframe and threw his big head back through the doorway.

"Oh,and Edward. I happen to be very fond of your office. Especially that window."

He tossed me the finger and left before I could say anything. I started to cringe away from the wall behind me when the intercom on my phone buzzed.

"Edward? Alice Dwyer called about an hour ago asking if you were free today." My assistant, James, had perfect timing.

_Yes, let's think about work. Not the wall. The wall that I would get maintenance to wash later. Maybe not later. As soon as possible._

"Am I?"

"I suggested a lunch meeting. You've got a busy afternoon."

Once again, James knew me well. He declined to schedule anything for the morning, as he usually did when we were shooting a Sapphire Bombay campaign. I was pretty sure James was gay but even a gay guy could appreciate Victoria.

"Sounds good. Where?"

"Her restaurant on Beacon."

"Great, thanks."

Before I could look back down to the budget in front of me, I heard Emmett's voice again. He was back in my doorway.

"Did I hear you're meeting up with Alice?"

"Yeah, for lunch."

"Awesome. I'm there."

"Who said you were invited?"

"Puh-lease. Her latest It's-A-Strip-Club-That's-Not-Really-A-Strip-Club has my name written all over it."

"The club is called _Inspiration_, not Strip Club," I countered.

"And you keep scheduling meetings without me," Emmett pouted.

"There's a reason for that."

"Have James tell Laurent."

Emmett was constantly trying to get our assistants to have as much interaction with each other as possible when he'd found out they were both gay and seemed to have a thing for each other. He loved to watch them squirm. In fact, I was pretty sure that's why he hired Laurent. The gaping look on James' face when Laurent walked in for the interview sealed the deal. Emmett would've hired him for entertainment value alone. Luckily, Laurent was a really great assistant. Emmett needed all the help he could get.

"Tell him yourself." Perhaps James' timing could be a little better.

"By the way, Eddie. Zero, baby! Zero!" Emmett pointed emphatically to the wall behind me again before walking away.

I was already pressed as closely to my desk as I could be to maintain breathing but I couldn't seem to escape the wall that loomed behind me. I shook my head as I thought of Emmett's ridiculous version of the Accident Free Count. Like how factories would maintain a tally of the number of days they had gone without having an accident on site. My brother kept a tally of the number of days he had gone without sex. As much as his exclamation of "Zero!" made me want to block out any images of him getting it on, it was also a relief to hear. If that number got anywhere upwards of three, things got very tense around here. A sated Emmett was a happy Emmett and a happy Emmett made for a happy Edward. Maybe not a happy Edward, but a glad-I-don't-have-to-flip-through-my-black-book-to-find-suitable-fucks-for-my-twisted-twin-brother-Edward. And that was close to enough to happy.

_Enough of Mr. Zero. Time to get to work._

Glancing at the clock, I saw that it was almost eleven already. Jesus, I did get in late.

_Again, though, totally worth it. Enough. Time to think about work. _

This lunch meeting with Alice would be just the thing. For the last five months I'd been working closely with one of my favorite eccentric clients on her latest hot spot that was opening in just two weeks. She'd been hiring us to do all of her print and television campaigns since she moved into town eight months ago. I was always amazed at the amount of stuff she had going on in such a small amount of time. We'd helped her open a sports bar, two restaurants and now this. It was certainly her most ambitious project and while I wasn't entirely keen on Emmett's description of it, on paper it did sound like a strip club. But after having seen all the work that'd gone into the place, this was going to be far from your ordinary strip club. I wasn't sure what people were going to call it, but it was going to create a sensation, that was for sure. And I had to admit to having a few great nights and mornings come out of working with her. She was beautiful and while I was never attracted to her in that way, her business ventures had a way of bringing in some really hot action. And now that Victoria was flying out I could use another kind of distraction. But first we had work to do.

-0-0-0-

"Alice, babe, Ive got some inspiration for you!" Emmett bellowed as soon as we entered the unassuming restaurant on Beacon Street. He was a little too loud for the busy lunch crowd at a fancy bistro but since we were meeting with the owner, I wasn't too worried.

He shoved his hands pointedly into his pants pockets and rocked forward on his toes. "Wanna see?"

A petite woman just steps behind the hostess counter turned to welcome us. Stepping between my brother and I, she tucked her tiny hands into the crook of our elbows and walked us toward a table. She smiled up at Emmett.

"You seem to be forgetting that the mens' side of the club is called _Insight_. Sounds like something you could use a dose of."

"I'm not saying it can't give you both insight and inspiration, Alice." Emmett wiggled his hands in his pockets a little.

"Oh, Em, been there, done that. I'm sure its nothing I haven't seen before."

"Alice, honey, you have no idea. I'm sure you've never seen anything like this before. You wouldn't know what to do with yourself."

"I can assure you, sweetie. I can think of plenty of things to do with myself. You, however, would be at a complete loss." Alice tossed back to Emmett, effectively shutting him up.

I couldn't help but smile. I think it was Alice's uncanny ability to make Emmett speechless that made me like her so much.

We reached a table along the wall and Alice gestured for us to sit. Emmett reached a large hand out to tug playfully on her long, black ponytail.

"Boy, your hair grows fast. Or maybe I don't see you often enough."

"Or maybe they're extensions," she whispered conspiratorially, before unfurling the latest floor plan for _Inspiration_, her new club.

We all sat down and Alice took a few moments to explain some of the changes that had been made, offering plenty of information but not asking for any advice. I'd learned from experience that this was how she worked. It was rare that a client would turn down an idea or suggestion from Cullen Creative, but Alice had never once fully listened to any ideas we set forth. Usually I would find that sort of work environment to be a bit stifling but it turned out that she had excellent instincts and some of her most obscure ideas turned out to be the best ones.

"And that's where the naked girls go?" Emmett suddenly pointed to the floor plan. I smirked at his exclamation and raised an eyebrow toward Alice, who didn't look too pleased.

While she appeared to be glaring playfully at Emmett, part of me had to wonder if she was just squinting in the dimly lit restaurant, trying to get a better look at him. Even at midday, the eatery had low lighting and tiny, round tables that were spaced just far enough apart that it was unlikely that anyone overheard us. I was always amazed that Alice chose to have has few tables here as she did. It was a good sized space and she could really rake it in if she doubled her dining capacity. But then again, the lack of tables did make the place seem that much more exclusive, which in turn made it more desirable. And even now there was a line outside to get in. Once again, it went against my instincts but it seemed to work.

Alice was waiting for Emmett's laughter to stop. I knew she'd be waiting at least another ten minutes before he was down to a muffled snicker, so I decided to intervene.

"You have to understand, Alice, there's no better way to put it. Nude girls? Girls in the buff?"

"They will not be nude," Alice said.

"No one wakes up in the morning and decides to wear paint for the day," I smirked.

Emmett joined me. "Yeah, what do you expect with a strip club?"

"And this-" she gestured around the bistro, "-is just a place to eat lunch. We might as well be at McDonalds right? After all, we both sell hamburgers and fries. We both have tables and chairs."

I interrupted her. "A burger there doesn't cost $30."

She leaned toward me, her ponytail swinging toward the table and brushing my arm. "And yet here, they'll pay for it. Happily."

She was right. Again. It was the most popular restaurant on Beacon Street and had been since opening night.

Emmett was laughing again. "Hey, I'm all for it, Alice. Just let me know where to be and when. Do you need help auditioning strippers- I mean, dancers?"

Settling back into her chair with her arms crossed over her chest, Alice frowned playfully. "Oh no, Emmett, that was already my pleasure. I took care of it weeks ago. And let me just say, some of my girls are very talented. Boys too, if that sort of thing interests you."

She'd managed to lean back across the table, toward Emmett now, as she spoke. He swallowed thickly and it was my turn to laugh. She'd had him wrapped around her little finger since our first meeting. As far as I knew, he had yet to get anywhere with her and she just didn't seem like his type to me. If she wasn't so good at flirting with him I would definitely be thinking power lesbian, which didn't have completely awful connotations, I had to admit.

"Well, I can't wait to see the finished space. Do you have the new logos you wanted us to use? The ads are being printed now, this'll put a little wrench in the works," I interrupted, back to business.

Alice broke her gaze with Emmett, who was still leaning toward her. If the lighting were better I'm sure I would see a small line of drool coming from his mouth.

"Minor detail. You'll take care of it, Edward. This new artwork really works the classy and mysterious angle I'm going for. As for the opening, I'm thinking a super-exclusive opening on Wednesday night and then real deal on Thursday."

"Mysterious will be easy. Everyone's been dying to know who bought the old Charlesgate building for months," I said to which Alice nodded.

"Who opens a club on a Wednesday?" Emmett had recovered, apparently.

"Me, that's who. Everyone thinks if they make it into a Thursday opening they're on some sort of it list, so why not make everyone feel special?" Alice beamed.

"So what does that make us, if we're going to be at the Wednesday night party?" Emmett smirked back.

Alice stood, our meeting over. "Who said you're invited?" Emmett watched her tight ass walk away from us until it disappeared into the shadows of the bistro.

-0-0-0-

By the time we got back to the office I'd been regretting sharing a car with Emmett. He complained endlessly about how Alice had to invite us if we were doing her PR. At first I'd found it amusing that he put so much stock in her obviously teasing tone, but after he mentioned it for the fifth time I found myself getting annoyed. Tuning him out, I turned my mind to work.

Alice's idea was interesting and although on the surface it still appeared to be just a strip club I was pretty sure that in Alice's hands, it would probably be a very special strip club in the least. Shortly after she arrived in town she purchased a building that was set for demolition nice and cheap. Word around town was that whoever bought it was crazy, and it turned out they were right. Alice was crazy, but in the best way.

The building was from the 1920s and was much larger than almost any other building in the general vicinity. It took up an entire block width and stood two stories taller than the brownstones surrounding it. The other businesses on the block were mostly cafes, salons and the occasional private business. The building had originally been known as the Charlesgate Hotel and since it had been closed down since the 1960s, I had never been inside. Even having seen photos from its heyday didn't do me much good because I already knew that Alice had it gutted. She was taking advantage of it's size and reworked the inside to be two clubs in one.

There would be a side for men and a side for women. The idea being that you could go out on a group date but the women could get loose on one side, while the men could enjoy the sights on the other side of the building. Naming it _Inspiration_ was her last stroke of genius. After weeks of seeing the mysterious ad campaign around the city, people would be willing to stand in line and pay a ridiculous cover just for a little inspiration.

For entertainment her idea was to have the hottest male and female dancers on stage, in various states of dress and undress, while the club-going public could relax with some alcohol and apps. Of course she'd have the usual private rooms and whatnot but on the surface it did sound pretty much like a strip club.

Two weeks would be just the right amount of time to get word out about the promo parties and place some strategic print ads. It would also be the perfect amount of time to let my imagination stew over just what, and possibly who, could provide me with some inspiration. So far I'd managed to get laid at every opening we threw for Alice, I was pretty sure Emmett did too. Not that I had a hard time getting some action on my own, I knew I was good looking. But her events attracted some of the most interesting prospects. Alice had yet to disappoint.

**END A/N: What do you think of Alice's idea for a club? I will be posting the next chapter right away, a little two for the price of one! Thanks for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

The sand was warm on my feet. Almost too warm. I wiggled my toes in a little deeper to reach cooler earth. I'd considered the beach my true love for almost all of my life. But it quickly fell out of favor in just six short days. That was how long it had been since the tiny touring ship I'd been on wrecked at sea and I had washed up here. If I only I knew where here was. The great thing about visiting the beach was being able to go back to a hotel room or cottage or restaurant or even a sidewalk. Here it was just sand, sand, sand, for as far as the eye could see. Well, sand and water. But looking at the water was even more depressing as there was never more than a slight wave in the distance. What I wouldn't give for a boat crashing through the distant surf.

I was itchy all over. The gauzy sundress I'd worn on the boat had been a good idea for a hot day at sea. But six days stranded on a beach only made me realize just how much sand cotton attracts.

The sun was no longer overhead so I emerged from the sparse shade of a coconut tree as I pulled the dress from my itchy skin. Common sense still had a hold on me as I looked briefly for a low branch to drape my dress over. But coconut trees don't have branches, period.

_Hell, the dress is already covered in sand._ I thought as I tossed it to the ground.

The tiny hairs on my arms and legs bristled in the cooling breeze that blew in from the ocean. I felt my nipples harden too. It was another painful reminder of all that had been lost on this trip. Not only was I now lost, but I'd managed to join my long gone libido that this vacation was supposed to rejuvenate. I suppose the silver lining was that I'd managed to get shipwrecked on the first excursion off the island, so I really hadn't had any time to check out the prospects at the resort. At least there was no one man in particular I could pine after lost here in my lonely paradise.

I could just mourn losing the chance to be with any of them. All of them. I had been taking long, deep breaths of fragrant island air into my lungs but now felt those breaths turn into sighing.

The other thing about sand was that it was just about the most quiet surface one could find to walk on. Something that didn't matter when you were alone but suddenly I could feel that I wasn't alone. And that feeling came from the light but firm grip on my hips.

I started, turning quickly. My instinct was to back away from whoever this was but his instinct proved to be the opposite of mine. I was pulled to his chest as he sensed my apprehension and shock. Mostly shock. I was on a deserted island, after all.

"Who-"

That was all I got out before his lips were on mine. My hands were held up in a defensive stance but suddenly found themselves pressing into the warm, brown flesh in front of me. My hands molded to his perfectly formed pecs, I could feel his budding nipples under my palms. I knew he was feeling the same thing as one of his giant hands rose from my hip to my tits. Barely spreading his hand, he managed to tease one nipple with his thumb and the other with his middle finger. I wanted to sink into this warm body in front of me, but didn't want to lose the amazing technique he was exhibiting on my aroused nipples. Our tongues wrapped languidly around one another.

_He tastes like coconut. He must live here._ I stupidly thought. _Of course he lives here, but why haven't I seen him before… oh, who the hell cares!_

My thoughts went south along with his other hand. Slipping a long, thick finger into my wetness, I gasped as he started tugging lightly on my nipples with his other hand. He pulled back from my mouth, allowing me to gasp the succulent island air that was mixing with his natural woodsy scent. How could he smell so strong in such a delicate and beautiful environment? I got my answer after one look at his face before his lips dipped to my neck. He was beautiful too. Now that I'd seen his hair, I just had to have my hands in it. The black silky threads slipping through my fingers, adding to the sensations I was feeling. His full rose-colored lips sucked along my neck before his teeth nipped lightly across my collarbone.

Now that my hands were in his hair, I could pull my body flush against his muscular length. Muscular in more places than one. As close as we were I could feel how ready he was for me. He moved down to capture one of my nipples in his perfect teeth, allowing me a peek down at what he had waiting for me. Oh god, I nearly dropped to my knees.

_Not a bad idea._ I thought wildly, imagine licking up his long, pulsing cock. Pleasing him.

I moaned against his neck as he continued sucking my nipples and pumping now two fingers into me. His thumb found my clit and pressed circles around it, causing my knees to buckle again.

"I need to know your name." I gasped.

I could feel him smile against my breast. "Why? Anonymous love-making is as exquisite as you are."

Oh god, now his voice had joined his fingers in pulling the wetness out of me. I could feel it trickling down my leg and I bucked my hips forward, bumping into the thick head of his cock. Now it was his turn to gasp. Tilting his hips up to mine, he bumped my clit with his cock.

"I need to know what to scream." I cried frantically.

With one swift thrust he had slipped into my wet heat while leaning close to my ear. "Jake."

"Oh god, Jake! Yes!"

Both of his hands were now on my hips as our mouths crashed together in sync with our lower bodies. He was so long, each time he pulled almost all the way out of me I was surprised by just how much further he could fill me up. And I wanted it all. I wanted more.

"Oh, Jake! Jake!"

Slipping his hands to my ass, he squeezed briefly before lifting me onto him. I dug my sandy heels in his perfect backside and took the pace onto myself. Faster, faster. I lifted up and slammed back down on him, his legs holding strong and steady under my weight. My tits bounced wildly and he would duck down and swipe a pointed tongue against them each time I rose off of him.

"Jake, yes! Jake!"

Using one large hand to hold onto my ass, his other one returned to my swollen bundle of nerves. Pressing and pinching, I felt myself building. The pulsing began in my stomach and rapidly worked downward until I was milking his cock. The sensation trickled down my legs until my toes curled deep into the rounded flesh of Jake's ass.

"Jake! Jake! Jake!"

-0-0-0-

BPOV

"You said the drawer next to the stove, Alice?" I yelled across the apartment.

"No, the cupboard above the stove!" She yelled back.

"Above the stove." I muttered, stretching up to my toes, just barely reaching the handle. The cupboard door swung open, but the item in question was still not in my reach. Jumping a little, I could see them but not quite get my hands on them. I felt a sharp jab in my side and turned to see Alice standing next to me. Boy, she was quiet. I got the hint and moved out of her way. She opened a low cupboard and I watched as she stuck a foot inside, boosting herself up a few inches until she could easily reach the pack of double A batteries. A bright smile lit her face as she tossed the pack to me.

"Why would a little sprite like you choose to keep her batteries on such a high shelf?"

"Because those batteries are for the remote and stuff like that. My vibrator batteries are in my bedside table. Duh." Alice rolled her eyes at me.

"Yeah, well, I've yet to make a run to the grocery store. Trust me, I will set up my stash as soon as I do." I took a seat across the small, round kitchen table from Alice, who was casually looking through the pile of mail on the table.

"Bella, you've been here for over a week and this is the third time you're replacing the batteries in your vibrator. Either you need a new, more efficient toy or you've got a deadline fast approaching."

She may not have been my blood sister, but she was definitely the real deal. She knew me well. Most teenagers would've probably resented the quick marriage her mother and my father fell into. After all, our small families were forced together in a matter of days after Charlie arrived home from Vegas with Renee in tow. Alice caught a flight from Florida up to Washington just days later, choosing to finish the week out at her old school. I was prepared to hate my new sister for barging in on my life. But the truth was, I was bored in Forks and had few friends. Alice embraced me, figuratively and literally, the minute she stepped off the plane. She made fast friends with everyone and for the first time, my house felt like a home. I loved her right away.

Alice interrupted my trip down memory lane. "So new toy or deadline? Which is it?"

"A little bit of both." I shrugged. "With the Jessica Stanley series done, I'm stuck for a new heroine."

"Who says you need one? Jessica's really popular." Alice said.

"Yeah, but I just don't see her with this guy long term. And he's what's really stuck in my brain." I answered.

"Your brain, huh?"

"Or something like that." I smiled.

"Tell me what he looks like, Bella. Please." Alice begged. She'd been after me for a description of my hot new male character but for some reason I couldn't bear to share him just yet. Until the book came out, it was my little secret. I shook my head defiantly.

"Ugh." Alice threw her head down on the table dramatically. "I hate when you keep it a secret." She was hard to understand with her face smooshed against the table. She finally lifted her head up, a bill stuck momentarily to her forehead. As it fluttered back down to the pile of mail she sighed.

"Just make sure he's as hot as Sam."

Alice was too funny. She still had a thing for my first leading man. I'd penned that inaugural story while still in high school and was lucky enough that her mom was cool with me using her name to submit it to publishers. I don't know which of the three of us was more shocked when I got a call and was holding my book in hand just eighteen months later. Alice's copy disappeared into her bedroom and the only time I ever saw it, it was dog-eared and well-worn. I had my suspicions that Sam may have been Alice's first real love. She never admitted as much to me, but she'd find no judgment here. Most of the men I truly loved were fictional.

"Will do." I agreed. "So help me out on the vibrator front. What're you using? I've had Jacob since college."

"The same Jake? Still? God Bella!" Alice giggled.

I quirked an eyebrow at her. "Sam?"

"You should take that as a compliment. It's named after your leading man." Alice replied.

"He's not _my_ leading man." I said.

"Neither is Jacob. If I remember correctly, the heroine of your second book was Vanessa, not Bella." Alice countered.

Alice had me there. I couldn't explain her attraction to the figment of my imagination that was Sam. Sure, he was nice enough and good looking enough. A bit of an overprotective character, but still a stand up guy. Plus he had that signature move she liked so much, one that she'd yet to find a real life partner able to recreate.

Jake, on the other hand. I'd dreamt up Jake in a true moment of despair. My deadline had passed and the six figure advance salary had gone toward my non-refundable college tuition and a rather frivolous vacation in the south of France. The roster of singles on the romantic countryside journey consisted of three middle-aged divorcees, a trust fund baby man slut and two men that were clearly using bottled hair color and hoping to use bottles of Viagra. Jake was my savior in more ways than one.

"Regardless, college was awhile ago, Bella." Alice called me out of my reverie. "It's time for a new toy. Or a new man."

"You know I don't work that way, Al." I said.

"Maybe I'm not talking about work, B." Alice countered.

"It all turns into work in the end. You know that. Besides, you are the last person I would take relationship advice from."

It wasn't a slight against Alice, she conceded to her poor romantic history anytime I had to bring it up. With that, I got up and headed to my room on the other side of the apartment.

"Keep it down in there. I don't have to be into the club until noon, so you're not alone." Alice called to me.

"Sure thing. Hey, mind if I join you today?" I asked.

"Please. I'm interviewing dancers for some last minute no-shows… I could use an expert opinion." Alice said.

"Sounds like fun. So noon?" I peeked back into the kitchen.

"Yup. Hey, maybe you'll meet some-" My scowl stopped Alice speaking. She held up her hands in surrender. "Sorry, sorry. All work, no play. Gotcha."

Closing the door behind me, I threw the batteries onto my bed and headed into the bathroom. Alice had a great apartment here and had been kind enough to get it with me in mind although it'd taken her months to convince me to move across the country. That was the thing about Alice though. She had pretty uncanny instincts when it came to everything but men. I couldn't fault her though, my luck wasn't any better than hers. That's how I ended up screwing my best friend just to write a few erotic novels. Okay, it was more than a few and I was thrilled with my career, but it was a little pathetic that every time I got naked with a guy it was for work. I couldn't even think of the last time I kept my eyes open during sex. At least Quil had understood. And it had taken years to work up to where we'd been in our relationship. I had no idea how to approach another guy about the same sort of arrangement. One night stands were easy enough to come by but it usually stressed me out too much to give me much inspiration. That's how I ended up with Jacob.

Steam filled the bathroom as I stepped into the shower. Maybe I could get through the morning without having to fire up Jake. That'd be the first morning he got to sleep in since I got into Boston. As I rubbed the bath sponge over my nipples, I realized it was highly unlikely that he'd get the day off after all. I looked up at the antique-tiled ceiling, trying to think of anything to distract me.

Alice had found this apartment just days after getting into town herself. It was tucked into the gorgeous and expensive Back Bay neighborhood and had an incredible amount of unique charm. Although we resided on the entire top floor of the four story building, the apartment was a long, rectangular shape. The apartment door opened into a large sitting room with gorgeous hardwood floors. The kitchen was set apart slightly by a low breakfast bar and the dining area was part of both rooms. Alice used the wall of windows that stretched overhead into a skylight as the setting for all of our meals. It was truly beautiful to eat dinner by candlelight and city lights.

Alice's bedroom and bathroom were to the right of the living room and mine were to the left. I had to curse the tall ceilings for carrying the sound of me and Jake all the way across the building to Alice's room. In any other, modern-day, well-insulated apartment, Alice would have no idea what went on in my room. Well, except for my appetite for double A batteries.

The water ran cold but only managed to harden my nipples further. It was pointless to try to ignore the tingling that had spread across my lower body all the way to my toes. Drying off quickly, I rushed back to bed and pulled Jacob out. It was only quarter to ten. That gave me a couple of hours to get off and then do some writing before heading to the club with Alice.

Setting Jake to a low buzz, I laid back and closed my eyes. I was surprised to find bronze hair and green eyes waiting for me. Smoldering for me. My eyes shot open as I listened to the quiet hum for a moment. Jake had dark hair and eyes and we always met on the beach. Our beach. Why was _he_ here again? I could actually feel myself getting offending at his intrusion into my fantasy. Yet when I closed my eyes he was still there. His hair had that already fucked look about it. Now I was pissed. Had he gotten started without me? Suddenly it didn't matter as he licked his lips and I was already gone.

**END A/N: Do we like Jake? Does Bella's Fantasy Man remind you all of anyone? ;) Anyone want to meet Jasper? He's up next chapter!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Warning, the lemon here might skeeve some of you out a little bit... it's a little Emmett on Emmett action. If you suss out what that means and don't want to read it, skip part the first italicized part.**

**This was written before Emmy's latest Pervy Picspiration but it suits her photo choices perfectly! Check out the images at .com/2011/05/emmy-wants-your-words_ and see if you think any of them suit this chapter. Hot, hot, hot!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. Like you, I just want to see them naked.**

_Maria was spread wide and wet, moaning and groaning as if her life depended on those very noises. A slim finger slipped into view and into Maria's waiting pussy. The moaning got louder and was joined by another voice. It was Nettie whose hand was servicing Maria and soon her tongue would join in. _

_Her beautiful, long, pink tongue appeared and licked slowly up Maria's slit. Without wasting a moment, Nettie descended on the wet pussy. Sucking and slurping, her eyes were open and gazing up at Maria. With wide eyes, Maria took in the gorgeous sight before her and lifted up just far enough so her hands could reach down and play with Nettie's tits. Twisting and tugging at her nipples, Nettie hummed into Maria's pussy before moving her tongue over to play with Maria's clit. She sucked in smaller, quicker tugs, causing Maria's whole body to tremble._

"_Why should Nettie have all the fun?" Came a low, seductive voice. It was Lucy._

_She was the only one wearing clothes, what little there was of them. A tight black bodice wrapped around her ribcage and held up the ribbons of a gauzy black skirt that made it quite clear just how bare she was underneath. The slight, blousy top that rose out of the corset rested below Lucy's big, round tits. Her nipples were peaked and plum-colored and her breath was coming quick. Tearing the skirt from her body, she sauntered over to the writhing twosome on the bed and crawled over to join them. _

_Maria dropped her mouth open in a series of fast gasps as Lucy deftly straddled her face. Lowering her hips, Lucy's waiting pussy was suddenly being devoured by Maria's mouth. Nettie had worked Maria through one intense orgasm and was now joined by Lucy's tongue in helping the next one along. Their tongues twisted and danced around each other as well as Maria's pussy. They took turns dipping their tongues into her and placing open mouthed kisses on her clit. _

_Lucy and Nettie each raised a hand to tease the other's nipples, pulling and tugging roughly. Lucy rode Maria's face and came quickly, dripping onto Maria's waiting tongue. Lucy and Nettie worked frantically and brought Maria to climax again._

_It was then that Lucy and Maria turned on Nettie. Smiling devilishly, they flattened her onto her back as Lucy attacked her tits and Maria settled between her legs._

Emmett stroked quickly, pulling on his thick cock and twisting just as he reached the head. His hand popped off and he grabbed the base of his dick again, stretching his stiffness almost painfully all the way to the head again. He knew the Confederate general showed up soon and while he enjoyed the fantasy of three women servicing one man, he didn't need to see it happen to some other guy. At least not today.

Grunting and slipping his hips further down in the chair, he twisted and pulled longer and harder each time. His face twisted as the tightening traveled from his balls up into his stomach. Shifting his eyes to the widescreen tv, a nice tight close up of Maria eating out Nettie did the trick. Wrestling the cum from his cock, Emmett kept up the long, strong strokes until he was empty. He dropped his head back onto the leather recliner and closed his eyes for second.

He had to clean up but needed just a minute to recover. Finally opening his eyes, Emmett grabbed the remote just as the handsome blond soldier sauntered onto the screen. Standing weakly, he set off to grab a washcloth and towel.

-0-0-0-

BPOV

The tow-headed hottie in the middle of the line reminded me of someone but I couldn't put my finger on it.

_Maybe someone from back in Arizona… or maybe in an ad. A billboard, yes, a billboard. Somewhere. No, I remember him talking or at least moving. TV. It had to be tv. Or maybe a movie? What on earth would he be doing here, auditioning for Alice's all male revue, if he had been in a movie? But still… those blond curls… bright blue eyes… and that smile… this is going to drive me crazy!_

I turned to question Alice but she was typing away on her Blackberry again. I was starting to feel bad for the guys that were standing in front of us auditioning. This was the second group now and while Alice had looked at the last bunch for a total of thirty seconds, she'd yet to look up at this one yet.

Even though I was seated in her club, I still had no idea how the place would look once it opened. There was a fair amount of construction going on requiring the use of really bright lights. Something told me this was the only time I'd be able to make out the individual square floor tiles. But that was hardly where my eye was at the moment.

Alice had the men parade onto the main stage in groups of five, topless. After a quick appraisal she decided which ones she wanted to see completely in the buff. From there it was on to some dance moves. We'd yet to make it that far today. And she only asked one from the previous group to disrobe entirely. What a disappointment he had been. I suppose he cultivated his six pack in order to distract from what little was going on below them. And when I say little, I mean little.

The part of me that felt a little dirty for watching men get naked for our approval was overshadowed by Alice's complete and utter business-like attitude. In fact, I was a little pissed. She was taking all the fun out of this. Of course, I had a notebook in my hand too but it was for brainstorming new story ideas. And since my work involved writing graphic sex scenes, I should be having more fun than this.

"Alice." I loudly hissed her name, only to get a finger held up to me. She typed frantically with one hand for a minute before finally looking over to me.

"Yes, Bella?"

Raising my eyebrows, I waved my hand toward the five patient guys in front of us. "Um, care to get back to work? This would go a lot faster if you actually looked at them and made a decision."

"Bella, I'm stalling for your sake."

"What for?"

"I thought you might enjoy the view a little bit and get inspired." Her lips curled up as she pilfered her club name for my sake.

"The view is getting bored, Alice."

We turned to look at the guys. My eyes went to the blond again. He was slightly taller than the rest of the group and definitely had a nice body. The part that was exposed to us, at least. Alice tipped her head toward mine.

"See anything you like?"

I tapped my pen against my notepad. "The blond looks promising."

Her eyes scanned the line of guys and she nodded in agreement. "The whole bunch isn't bad." Clearing her throat, she raised her voice so the guys could hear her. "Alright boys, let's see the whole package."

Two of the five hesitated slightly but the blond already had his socks and shoes off and was working his jeans down his legs. From the looks of it, he was going commando. His blond curls fell into his face as he kicked the pants off. Standing up, he threw his hair back and ran a quick hand through it before looking right at me.

"You could start a dude ranch with that one, Al." Dammit, she was on her Blackberry again. I elbowed her. "Alice."

She glanced up and scanned the line again. All of the guys had managed to disrobe and they all had the goods downstairs to match their upper body build. She nodded briefly before turning back to her phone.

Some of the guys looked to me but I was just an observer. Doing research. I had no idea what Alice wanted them to do next. She held up a finger to the guys this time, requesting their patience for a little longer. The blond was looking right at me and I decided it was time to start making some notes.

What started as distracted doodles turned into descriptions. Blond versus bronze. Blue versus green. I had to admit, the naked guy on stage was good looking but could I abandon my sex-haired Adonis just yet? I wasn't so sure.

I was usually so sure of myself but the longer Alice remained distracted by her phone, the more uncomfortable we all became. A few of the guys had managed to cup their hands in front of them in a somewhat defensive posture. But one stood out. The blond.

A slow smile was spreading across his face and I watched in shock as something else grew. He put his hands back into his hair and slid his fingers around to the back of his head. Resting his head in his hands he looked relaxed and sexy. But I wasn't looking at his face. I watched in amazement as his cock stiffened and grew right before my eyes. Damn he was big. And I had thought he was impressive before he was hard.

Finally allowing my eyes to leave his cock, I felt a matching smirk grow on my face. I winked playfully and looked at the guys standing on either side of him. They both looked a little uncomfortable and had edged away slightly. Jasper followed my gaze and his sudden burst of laughter is what finally pulled Alice's attention away from the Blackberry.

She took a minute to survey the scene before her eyes settled on the prize. Scowling slightly, she glanced down at the clipboard on her lap.

"Jasper, is it?"

"Yes, ma'am." He drawled as he nodded to her. His cock bobbed in time with his head.

"Think you're something special, huh?"

He glanced down. "You tell me."

Alice dropped the clipboard to the floor and stood abruptly. I was about to stop her. I didn't want him to get in trouble. He was cute and the whole erection thing was completely innocent. I didn't think he was trying to be crude or anything. But she had already walked around the side stairs leading up to the stage and was now standing in front of him. She looked quickly left to right and motioned the other guys offstage.

"You're in. I'll call you all later with details."

The guys grabbed their clothes and shuffled off stage quickly.

"How about me, ma'am? Did I make it?" Jasper had honey in his voice.

"See something you like, Mr. Hale?" She repeated her phrase to me from earlier.

He glanced from Alice to me and back again before finally settled his eyes downward. He pulled Alice's gaze down to his massive, stiff cock as well.

"The General just wanted to make a case for himself is all, ma'am."

"Impressive case."

"Why thank you, ma'am."

"I feel a little bad for him."

"Why's that?"

"He's going to be pretty uncomfortable stuffed back into your jeans, wouldn't you say?"

"Maybe you could lend him a hand first?"

I couldn't believe I was watching this exchange happen without writing it down. This was pure smut novel gold. Not entirely sure what Alice might do and pretty positive I didn't want to watch her give him a hand job, I started scribbling shorthand notes of their conversation. I couldn't help but glance up out of curiosity. Alice had taken a step closer to Jasper. From where I was sitting it looked like she was one or two inches from the glorious cock that was pointed straight at her.

"Sorry, soldier. You're on your own." Alice turned and started to walk off the stage, leaving Jasper smiling after her. He took the rejection well. "Oh, and Jasper?"

"Ma'am?"

She'd made it back to me, picking up her clipboard from the floor. She made a few marks on the paper as she continued.

"Don't jerk off in the dressing room."

His hand had already stroked his cock a few times in an effort to relieve some tension. Without removing his hand, he met Alice's gaze and smiled wide again.

"I'll be calling you, soldier. Dismissed."

He pumped his cock a couple more times, nice and slow for our benefit before removing his hand, gathering his clothes and walking off stage.

Alice plopped down into her chair and finished making notes on her clipboard. I stared at her, waiting for her to look up. When she finally did, we both burst out laughing.

"You called him soldier, Al!"

"He called his cock 'The General'!"

"Well, I have to say I agree with him."

"Did he remind you of someone?"

"Yes! It's been driving me crazy."

"I know I've seen him before," Alice murmured to herself.

"Yeah, but where?" Our laughter subsided and we were quiet for a few seconds.

"Maybe I'll have to set you up with a private dance opening night," Alice winked at me. "What do you say, Bella… would you like to salute the General?"

I shook my head. "I think he had eyes for someone else."

"Please. He's my employee," Alice pursed her lips. "I will not be getting anywhere near General Jizz."

A sudden burst of clarity struck us both at the same time. Alice's eyes grew wide and my mouth dropped open before we both blurted it out.

"Three Belles for Confederate Jizz!"

Laughter overtook us again.

Through gasping breaths, I spoke. "Holy-fuck-Alice. He-was-in-a-porno."

"There's no way, Bella. He'd be like fifty years old. At least." Alice was slowly reigning her laughter in.

"Then his dad was in a porno," I reasoned. "You didn't think he was cute?"

"Course I did. Why else do you think I hired him? He'll be a big hit with bachelorette parties. I'll have to get his size and order him a uniform. What do you think? Army or Navy?"

"Screw that. Keep it in the family. I'd go old school. Civil War."

Alice nodded fervently. "Confederate soldier all the way."

Closing up my notebook and grabbing my bag I stood as the next group of guys made their way in.

"It's been fun, Al, but I have to get some work done today."

"This is research, Bella."

I shrugged into my jacket.

"So let me guess. The mystery man isn't a tow head?"

I leaned down to kiss her cheek. "Nice try, Alice."

"You'll have to tell me sooner or later, you know. I'll be reading about him eventually."

"A quick call to my editor and he can look totally different." Alice slipped her keys to me and I headed out of the brightly lit club into the even brighter afternoon outside.

APOV

The five guys on stage removed their shirts as I watched Bella leave. I thought if I brought her here today she might just find a new writing partner. I was one in a select group of people who knew just how Bella researched all those sexy scenes in her books. And while I knew how tough it was to leave Quil behind, she really should've moved on from him months ago. She needed someone unattached. The guys I was hiring were perfect. They were cute, built and ready for a good time. They wouldn't audition if they weren't.

She may have left before seeing all I had to offer but I'd have another chance come opening night. God knows the club would look a little sexier then. Low lighting and pulsing music was sure to bring the beast out of her. Her drain on my stock of double A batteries was proof enough that she was hard up. While I didn't mind supplying her with the firepower, I really wanted to help get something real between her legs. That was the least a sister could do.

I just started to look over the new group of guys when I heard the door swing open. Emmett's loud voice boomed out across the cavernous room.

"Bring on the dancing girls, Alice!"

He rounded the hanging drop cloth and ladder setup the construction crew left only to see a group of half-naked men standing on stage. As he stopped in his tracks, I couldn't help but smirk.

"Ahh, Emmett, don't be shy. They won't bite. Unless you want them to."

Finding his legs, he sped over to me and growled out in a hushed tone. "I thought you said you were auditioning dancers today."

"I am," I gestured to the guys. "Meet the potential dancers."

He scowled at me as I patted Bella's abandoned chair next to me.

"Take a seat, Em. I could use an expert opinion on this."

I could see him warring with himself before reluctantly sitting down. He folded his hands over his lap and furrowed his brow a little deeper.

"So, what? This is it? They just stand there? How the hell do you know what they can do?"

Ah, he was so easy. He walked right into that one. I turned my wide grin to the line of bare-chested men.

"You heard him, boys. Let's see what you got."

A chorus of zippers followed and Emmett turned a lovely shade of rose.

**END A/N: Did you all enjoy meeting Jasper? Because he certainly enjoyed meeting you! ;)**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Once again, thanks so much for all the story alerts and favorite story picks! It's opening night at Alice's club... wonder if Bella and Edward will meet up at all. ;) This chapter (and the next few) is double the length of the previous ones... enjoy a little extra lemony goodness on me!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight but I do own exotic dancer Jasper and I'm very generous... we can all share him!**

BPOV

_Inspiration_ was stylish, sleek and sexy. But it was still a club underneath it all. So it was also dark, loud and hot. As much as Alice had begged me to come along I hadn't gone to many of the pre-opening meetings. She could make a convincing argument for just about anything, but budget meetings and lunch with the PR firm just seemed a little dry for my taste. Besides, I had work to do.

While I struggled with creating a heroine for my bronze-haired god, I used the time to work on a project I'd been dreaming about for years. It was also a work of fiction but far more serious than the usual fluff novels I wrote. The main character of the story was a young boy suffering from terminal cancer. Not nearly as uplifting or fun as what I normally wrote which is why I found it so hard to spend a lot of time working on it. Usually it was in between books that I did a little research, wrote up some character descriptions and worked out some plot lines. With one of the best children's pediatric cancer wards in close vicinity to me now, I'd be a fool not to use that resource. I'd yet to make appointments to interview any of the cancer specialists, but it was on my to-do list.

Tonight my to-do list was on hiatus. And in a strange way, I was hard at work. Romance novels sell and I was in desperate need of inspiration.

_At least I'm in the right place._

It was nice to have a chance to dress up. I'd spent the better part of last week holed up in the apartment in sweats and a t-shirt, glued to my laptop. Alice had been busy with final club preparations so I was set loose on Newbury Street by myself. The shops here were in a different class. Each boutique had only a couple of designer outfits in the window and the salespeople descended like wolves two seconds in the door. There were worse ways to spend a day than sipping champagne and trying on beautiful clothes. Four hours went by like nothing and in the end I had the dress for opening night.

It was a deep sapphire color and what little fabric there was, looked like it had been cut and sewn with my body in mind. It fit perfectly. The front was low cut, coming to a sharp V between my breasts. The back was even lower, draping elegantly just above my waist. What little material there was on the top of the dress, there was even less on the bottom. The skirt was a short fringe that would have definitely been too revealing if I were in a better lit room. But it was dark, my skin practically glowing in the pulsing lights and as I felt the fringe brush against my legs I was thankful I'd forgone panties. Again a risky move in any place other than Alice's pitch black den of sin.

Alice had wanted to arrive at the club with me but was called in earlier to deal with some last minute rum emergency. As much as she wanted to bask in the glory of her latest creation and I wanted to be the one to shower her with praise, I knew how busy she'd be tonight. It was easy enough to hail a cab and slip into the club on my own. I could spend an hour or two perusing the club before I met up with Alice and bought her a congratulatory champagne.

The division between the two clubs was nonexistent tonight, in an effort to give the public a taste of everything _Insight_ and _Inspiration_ had to offer. I was slightly distracted by what would normally be the dividing line between the two clubs but eventually made my way into _Inspiration_ to see just who Alice had hired in the end. A small part of me was hoping to see Jasper's blond curls tonight. And maybe a little bit more.

The men debuted promptly at midnight to a song that was nearly a decade old but fitting nonetheless. The remix of Elvis' "A Little Less Conversation" had been a favorite of mine in college, as Alice was sure to remember. But I had to laugh, it was also her way of delivery not so subtle message to me. This was her way of welcoming me to the city and it was quite the welcome wagon, I had to admit. Jasper was easy to spot, leading the men out on stage but I noticed pretty quickly how good looking the whole line up was. Alice may not have great taste in boyfriends but she knew a handsome man when she saw one.

If the rest of the patrons were anything like me, they might have been skeptical about a dancing male revue, but were quickly proven wrong. For starters the guys emerged wearing well-tailored three piece suits, a sight not many women can resist. The club was big enough that although there was a main stage for performing, there were also several smaller ones and the guys quickly spread out throughout the room. Each appeared to be conducting his own little party. Despite their distance from one another, Alice must have choreographed just when they would shed their clothes because they were suddenly all topless. These men weren't only good looking, they were magnetic. The cluster of women – and men – that gathered around each one pressed in closer. I wandered the room as best I could in the crush of patrons. It may have been _Inspiration's_ premiere night but it wasn't entirely exclusive. Alice had allowed the maximum capacity to be let in.

My eyes were drawn to Jasper but he was in the middle of the room and the other men were easier to get to first. I was just browsing the merchandise but made a subtle check for the condom that was tucked neatly into my dress. One quick stroke down the side of my left breast confirmed its presence and I continued on my way.

Alice knew it was pointless to try to push me toward a relationship and I knew it was unlikely that I'd obtain the same sort of arrangement I'd had with Quil, but I still had one goal for tonight. And that was to get laid. Anonymous sex was the next best thing to what I had with Quil and if I could even manage to get it on backstage or in a cab, it'd be dark enough to get away with keeping my eyes closed the whole time. I just wasn't sure who to pick. Alice had given me her blessing to get it on with any of the guys, she freely admitted hiring most of them with me in mind. It was only after she divulged that bit of information to me that I sneaked a peek at her folder of hires a few nights ago.

I recognized Mike right away. He was in the process of getting his pants helped off by a trio of anxious women. Cute with spiky brown hair and a bright smile, he was clearly enjoying himself. The women were anxious to remove his last piece of clothing and it was obvious that he was getting a little excited himself. That problem may have embarrassed another guy, but he seemed more than pleased with his current situation. I laughed at his good nature before moving on.

Eric was tall and lean but still muscular. His dark hair was closely cropped to his head and while his shirt was missing, he still had on his pants and tie. But it was the glasses that nearly did me in. He managed to keep them on while slowly, sexily removing his tie. It was after he placed the tie around the neck of a panting woman in front of him that he leaned forward and encouraged her to push his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. She boldly stuck out her tongue and slid the specs back onto his face. Winking in thanks, his hands moved to unbutton his pants. Another good possibility.

Tyler was already naked by the time I got to him. Forget his face, his cock was just right. I could definitely see myself riding that tonight. I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to reign in my concentration. Sure, sex for pleasure would be nice, but I need to be inspired tonight. It took more than a pretty cock to make that happen. Turns out Tyler had a pretty face too and he really knew how to move. If I was remembering correctly, he was a dance major at Boston University. A college guy was probably a good pick. He would be ideal for the type of arrangement I was looking for. But would someone so young understand exactly what I was trying to accomplish? Sure, Quil and I had been just as young when we entered into our agreement after our failed attempt at dating. But by that time I knew him to be a responsible guy who respected me. There was no guarantee it would work the same way twice.

By the time I reached Ben he was working his own accessory. I was pretty sure he was completely disrobed as well, but a well placed fedora made me wonder. My brain clicked into work mode briefly as I considered the combination of his hat and my flapper-esque dress. Perhaps a novel set in the Roaring Twenties. Hmm, it had definite possibilities. Ben, however, did not. I had been inspired by his wardrobe, not him.

Felix was in a far corner of the room and even from that distance he looked imposing. I knew from his file that he was good looking but huge. I liked a tall guy but the way this one was built, I had to wonder if I would escape sex unscathed. Nothing like ending a fun night in the ER with a few broken ribs to uninspire a girl. If nothing else panned out I might reconsider, but for now I was happy to keep my distance.

Nearly Felix's exact opposite was Alec. He was the shortest of the group but devastatingly handsome. Wiry with lean muscle I just couldn't get past his height. If Felix had been too tall, Alec was definitely too short. A ridiculous factor that shouldn't matter if my eyes were just going to be closed anyway, but I couldn't help it. If I could ride him and his face only reached my tits, while it was a good deal for the girls, it was a total mood killer for me.

I had been intrigued by Demetri's file when I first saw it. He had the type of face that you only saw in high fashion magazines. It looked as though it had been chiseled out of stone and the sculptor didn't bother sanding any of the cuts he made. Strong, sharp jaw line with a long and straight nose, it was hard to take my eyes off of him. In person he lived up to his photo and his body was just as nice as his face, but he was gay. Definitely gay. Maybe he had a few encounters with a woman in an effort to test the waters or defy expectation, but he was as gay as the day was long. I'd once thought of enlisting a gay friend to help me with my research. It seemed like the perfect choice. A significant portion of my fan base was gay and who better to understand that we were not in a serious, committed relationship than someone who was not interested in women? Ideal on paper, not so much in reality. The one go I made with Riley had been disastrous. Not being attracted to women also means not knowing what the hell to do with boobs and a vagina. I had enough of my plate trying to inspire a new novel. I didn't need to run a tutorial on sex with a woman too.

Paul, Seth, Jared, Collin and Brady were working one part of the room together. And they worked well together, I had to wonder if they knew each other before getting hired. The highest concentration of men was around those five. It was no wonder, once I got a good look at what was going on. Paul's tie was off and wrapped around Seth's waist, the two of them dancing closely together. Jared was taking turns rubbing his ass up against both of them. Collin and Brady had their own little dance going on just steps away. I'd never really thought about being with more than one guy at a time, but if they looked and moved like these five, I would definitely consider it. Too bad my readers were middle-aged women looking for hot sex with a lasting love. I took a few moments to investigate each of the boys individually before moving on to the main attraction.

I was finally at Jasper. Somehow I managed to work my way through the group of people surrounding the main stage to get up close to him as he worked. Down to just his tight little black boxer briefs, he was really working up the crowd. Spotting me, he reached a hand out and before I knew it he had pulled me up onstage and turned me to face the crowd. One large hand splayed across my hips as he rocked into me, forcing me to follow his dance moves. It was easy enough to ignore the crowd, the lights were on us not them. And my eyes were definitely on Jasper, as I looked to him from over my shoulder. He ran a hand down the side of my face before settling it on my ribcage. His thumb grazed against the underside of my breast. My thoughts flew to my dress and I realized his hand didn't have all that far to go before he would be cupping my tit. God, that was a pleasant thought.

I'm not sure how he heard my moan over the loud music, but I imagined he did as I felt him tug my hips backward again. This time they made contact with his hard cock that I remembered all too well. I rubbed my ass up and down his generous length and reached up to stroke his face. Catcalls and whistles came from the crowd and I looked briefly into his brilliant blue eyes before pulling away from him. I planted a light kiss on his cheek, he winked at me and then released me back into the darkness.

He was pretty all right but not what I needed to get the job done. If their show was any indication, any of these guys could rock my world in the bedroom. But could they inspire a bestseller?

Sighing, I worked my way back to the bar for a quick glass of water. It was time to find Alice. She'd worked some real magic here tonight and while I hadn't found my inspiration, that didn't mean I couldn't celebrate hers. There was also that vague reminder that she'd mentioned something about the brothers doing her PR. I think Emmett was the horn dog she mentioned to me. Said he and I would get along great. Once again, knowing her taste in men… I sincerely doubted Horn dog Emmett and I would have any chemistry. I slowed as I got to the wall that divided the two clubs. Once again, it had me a little distracted.

The wall was made out of glass and appeared to be about five or six feet deep. There were various doorways cut out of the glass that Alice would usually have covered with more glass panes. But it wasn't the wall itself that I found so fascinating, it was what was inside them. From where I was standing, on the _Inspiration_ side of the club, the wall was filled with men like a giant storefront. Of course the one thing missing was clothes. It wasn't just the gorgeous naked men in the glass wall that stopped me short, it was what they were doing. Being glass, I could see through to the other side of the club and there were an equal amount of naked women on the other side of the wall. In slow sexy moves, the men and women were moving in and out of very suggestive poses. As I passed through one of the doorways it became obvious to me that the men and women were actually separated by glass but the illusion of them coming together was unmistakable. Now that was sexy. If nothing else, I was definitely getting ideas for some new sexual positions. If only I could find a suitable partner for my green-eyed creation.

Moving from _Inspiration _to_ Insight_, I was desperately clinging to the notion that the names Alice chose would work miracles for me. So I failed to get any real inspiration aside from the bit about the Roaring Twenties. A little insight wouldn't hurt. At the moment I really needed insight as to where Alice might be. Her tiny stature didn't make her easy to spot in a crowd. And while I appreciated her show of sisterly love in getting long, dark hair extensions to match my own locks, they were sure to camouflage her in the dark club. I settled on looking for bouncing and jumping. If my eye caught someone in the throes of sheer joy and excitement it was likely to be Alice. Still no luck.

_Damn, that girl can blend in when she wants to._

Perhaps the rum emergency continued or moved onto to other liquors. Damn the rum shortage.

_Insight_ had a calmer vibe than _Inspiration_. More laid-back, sophisticated strip club. Of course all the women were gorgeous and had perfect bodies. They weren't as choreographed as the men but were still positioned around the room in a similar fashion. I imagine the male dancers were fulfilling a lot of fantasies that swam around in women's heads while the female dancers were to appear nameless, available and devoid of personality. After all, women want the whole show and men just want the climax. A stupid and base assumption, but judging by the way the men were acting, not all that far off target.

Just like the wall divider, the women were giving me some great new ideas for moves in the paperback sack, but that was about it. This army of identical women with their perfect bodies and slightly varied tit sizes and hair and skin colors were hardly inspiration for a new heroine.

I scanned the crowd one more time for Alice as I made my way to the bar to deposit my empty water glass. A new song was just starting and the thudding bass that opened the tune perfectly masked the shattering sound my glass made when it hit the floor.

_What the fuck was that._

My brain was working too fast and furious to even bother phrasing the thought as a question. Brown hair, but red tints in the strobe lights.

_Bronze, copper, chestnut, russet, auburn, brick, rust, burnt sienna, cinnamon, sepia…_

Why the hell was I thinking in synonyms? But was that what I had seen? Ignoring the puddle of glass beneath me, I stepped my heels onto the bottom rung of the nearest stool, gaining a few inches in height.

_Where was it, where was it, where was it? Where was he? Could 'it' be a 'he'?_

Of course 'it' was a 'he.' What a ridiculous thought. It's not like someone brought a cocker spaniel in here.

_Oh god. Please don't let it be a cocker spaniel. Cock, yes. Cocker spaniel, no._

There it was again. That gorgeous color blazing in the flashing lights. I kept my eyes trained to the spot as the lights moved on and my vision went dark. It would be a matter of seconds before I could see it again. This time the light flashed on more than just hair.

_Thank god, it's a man. Thank fuck god, it's a man._

And in the brief seconds I glimpsed his hair I knew he'd either just come out of a backroom where he rocked someone's world or he was about to. That was the hottest fucking sex hair I'd ever seen. As much as I hated to diss my own imagination, I had to wonder if this hair was better than my fantasy man's. The head turned with the next pulse of light and the green of his eyes stopped my heart.

In the seconds that I was dead - heart stopped - no breath, I only thought of one thing.

_Emerald, apple, forest, grass, jade, malachite, moss, peacock, sea, spinach…_ _Seriously? The thesaurus again? And spinach? No, they were definitely not spinach color._

Some part of my subconscious cursed loudly at the rest of my traitorous brain, effectively jumpstarting my heart and forcing air back into my lungs. Yes, I was at work here. On a mission to be inspired. And if I was truly lucky enough to find someone who resembled my current fantasy man-

_Fuck resemble. He is the fantasy man! He blows the fantasy man away! Blow him! Fuck him! Blow him and then fuck him and then maybe blow him again!_

Ahem. I stopped my thoughts in their tracks. Enough. If, _if_ this man resembled my fantasy man, then I had to stop thinking in synonyms. I had to take my chance by the balls-

_Just your chance? Anything else you'd like to take by the balls? Hmm?_

I called for a shot of anything and quickly downed it. This was getting ridiculous. If anything, my brain had always been on board with my research tactics before. To undergo a mutiny now would truly suck. Not only was I under deadline but the fuck-hot man from my dreams was quite possibly sitting just a few dozen feet away from me. I actually came here intending to blow off some sexual tension and get some work done. My night's objective was nearly within arm's reach. The last thing I needed was to get into a heated argument with myself.

_So we're in agreement then. Yippee! Let's get our fuck on!_

My throat was burning and I rarely drank but the possibility of another shot was very tempting. My eyes were fixed in one direction. The quick bursts of light were making it impossible to make out his face as a whole. I was getting quick glimpses of features. Perfect, straight nose. Strong jaw with lickable stubble. Plump, pretty lips. Long, luscious eyelashes. I tried to list and describe his attributes but my mind was accumulating its own list.

_Erect nipples? Check! Wet pussy? Check! Writhing orgasm ready to bust loose all over fantasy man? Multiple checks!_

Enough, enough, enough. My moving legs seemed to shut up the sex-crazed part of my brain. Being a writer that was currently on the job, I still felt the need to come up with a plan. But I had at least another minute or two before I would reach him. Maneuvering my way through the crowd took time, plus my vision was still blacked out from time to time by the strobing lights. As I got closer I realized he was sitting on a raised platform of sorts. It appeared to be some sort of a private area but it was close enough to the rest of the floor and Alice had neglected to delineate any off-limit areas tonight, so anyone was free to go up there. The edges of the platform were marked by the back of the curved couch that sat atop it in almost a complete circle. From where I was standing just below it, I could make out the head and shoulders of anyone sitting but the rest of their bodies were out of sight. There were two people that were completely within my view and they were female dancers. Nude, female dancers.

I watched as that floppy bronze sex hair got covered by a fedora placed there by one of the girls. She turned her back to my fantasy man and inched her ass closer to what I imagine was his lap.

_Fuck no. I have dibs. Everyone else can get in line after me. He will be available to sex you up in about twenty minutes. Half an hour! That's it! That's all I need. Just one hour!_

Luckily I imagine that circular couch was exactly where private lap dances were regularly occur, but Alice had informed me that there would be no private sessions taking place on opening night. Other than the one she hoped I'd be having with one of her male dancers. Otherwise, it was a quick booty shake and the dancers had to move on. And sure enough, she did. Her partner was still dancing for the rest of the people seated on the couch, which looked to be a pretty even mix of men and women. As I ascended the two steps onto the platform I could see that the group was very well dressed. Investors, perhaps? And while they appeared to be enjoying the club, no one was drooling over the dancing girl or jerking off or anything. They were chatting and laughing lightly. It was almost as if the girl was a tv someone had muted in the background.

I was starting to get used to the pattern of the blinking lights but even at this close proximity, my fantasy man was still plunged into darkness every few seconds.

_Perfect._

Taking advantage the next time the lights cut out, I took the final steps toward the man. When the lights flashed on again I was able to see all of his features at once, finally.

_Ho-ly Fu-uck._

My brain had tripped into slow motion. Luckily the rest of my body knew what to do and before he could react on his shock at seeing someone appear in front of him as if out of thin air, I grabbed the fedora from his head. It had been cocked over one eye and now I could see him perfectly, no obstructions, as I placed the hat on my own head. I swayed slightly to the music as he leaned toward me. The electricity from his grip on my wrist rode through my body in a quick, tingling current. Pressing his mouth to my ear so I could hear him over the music, he spoke.

"Hey. That was my hat."

His ear was right next to my mouth and I won control over my sex brain that wanted to bite it long enough to answer him.

"Doesn't it suit me?"

Pulling back to stand, I took the hat from my head and trailed its brim across my collar bone and down my chest. Testing the limits of my dress as I traced the line of pale skin that was revealed by the deep cut in the front, I watched his eyes grow slightly wider. I could feel that my nipples were quite close to being on display and I only wanted the show to be for him. Leaning forward again, I saw his eyes remain trained on my chest. The fabric fell away from my skin and he got a nice long look at my small but round tits and hard nipples. I let him enjoy the view for a second before I pushed the fedora down into his lap. His eyes quickly shifted to his crotch, my hand still tight on the hat, before shooting up to look into my eyes.

"You can have your hat back. Looks like you need it."

"What the fuck am I going to do with a hat? Why don't you cover me?"

The words were practically a growl as his hands flew to my hips and pulled me down onto his lap. Having anticipated this move, I quickly replaced the hat on his head and pressed my wet center hard onto his lap. Gripping his legs between my own, he eagerly licked his lips. Of course he would. This was my fantasy after all. My romance novel. My story.

-0-0-0-

The riverboat left the dock promptly at midnight. Despite the purpose of the boat being to circumvent the laws of prohibition, plenty of tonight's passengers already appeared to be a little tipsy. But not the man I was escorting tonight. After all, it was his boat, his party and his booze. And lucky me. I was his girl.

We were able to avoid the swell of the crowd on the dance floor below. He always held court on one of the inside upper decks and the table was already set by the time we reached it. Cards, poker chips, expensive liquor and half a dozen of the meanest men in the South. Each had a date or two on his arm or lap and I felt privileged to be the only one on my man's arm tonight.

Cards were shuffled, chips were dealt and I claimed my perch just next to my man's chair. I didn't drink but always loved these riverboat rides. The air was thick with the scent of alcohol and I could get a buzz just from soaking in the humid, liquor-tinged air. Everyone's skin had an almost post-coital glow that came from being squeezed onto an overcapacity riverboat.

I might have normally felt self-conscious wearing the skimpy excuse for a modern flapper dress, but in this heat it was almost as good as being naked. Of course it would be just a matter of hours before I could shed the dress and make the most of the Southern heat that was making my blood boil and my legs wet with desire. Squirming slightly at the thought, my man noticed and held out a hand to me.

Turning to the crowded table, he inquired, "Do you mind, gentlemen?"

Without waiting for an answer, he pulled me to sit on his lap. Pushing the chair away from the table a little, I got comfortable and noticed his thinking was along the same lines as mine. The stiff rod of his cock was pressed into my thigh and I unconsciously ran a hand down to stroke it through his pants. The table blocked his lap pretty well but most of the poker players were equally distracted by their escorts or the wild party that had erupted around us as we left sight of the shore.

Boldly, I lifted myself and turned to face my man, straddling his lap. Flashing me a crooked grin without taking his eyes off of his cards, he used his other hand to pull me harder onto him. I was a good escort. I knew he liked me without panties, so tonight I was free and open under the fringe of my skirt. Rocking slowly on his hard cock, I knew my wet pussy was slowly drenching the front of his pants.

Drawing, he threw his cards down on the table and took advantage of the time it would take for the last three men to battle over the hand. Leaning forward, he nudged the loose flaps of my dress away from one of my tits, exposing it. I gasped and looked around as he clamped his lips tightly around my taut nipple. No one was watching, so I reveled in it. Gripping his coppery hair in my fists, I managed to knock his fedora to the floor. But it didn't matter as I held him to my chest and eventually pulled the other side of my dress out of the way. I wanted to feel him sucking and biting on both of my tits.

Working his tongue and teeth aggressively, he pushed me off his lap a little and I took advantage of my new position to swiftly release his zipper. His thick, hard cock had been waiting for me. Springing forward, it landed in my hand, fitting perfectly. I pulled on it, squeezing lightly, before twisting my hand around the head. His mouth flew up to mine, capturing my lips in a rough kiss, thumbs quickly taking over his mouth's duties on my nipples.

With one arm wrapped around his neck, I leaned back even more, tilting my hips toward his waiting and weeping cock. I scooted forward and dragged the head across my wet center. Before I would let him bury his cock in me, I dragged his head in hard circles around my clit, finding a rhythm that was making me short of breath.

The slap of the cards on the table signaled a new hand and although I lost his mouth and a hand, his other hand was still tugging on one of my nipples. If he could get back to business, so could I. Lifting myself up slightly, I sunk my wet pussy down onto his pulsing cock, burying it deep within me. He groaned lowly before tapping the table for another card. I couldn't have his attention split like this. Pulling up and off of him, I leaned over and licked up his neck until I reached his ear. Biting down, I sucked his earlobe into my mouth. The head of his glorious cock was just barely inside of me and I bounced slowly up and down an inch, teasing him. I could feel him lifting his hips, trying to get back in.

Releasing his ear from my teeth, I whispered to him. "Do you want in?"

Trying his best to pay attention to the hand he was playing, he ignored me as I went back to biting down his neck. Loosening his tie so I could get to his collarbone, a known weak spot, I kept sinking not quite low enough onto him. Suddenly his cards were falling all over the floor as his hands flew to my hips.

"I want all in."

He drew a few confused glances from his fellow poker players, but didn't notice as he was busy thrusting his thick cock deep into my soaking folds. In a loud moan, I threw my head back and let his hands slide to my lower back, supporting me. Arching my upper body away from him, I brought my hands up to tease my nipples. Working together, I would slide off of his impressive length before he would pull our hips back together. The friction was heavenly.

We were pushing and pulling against each other, faster and faster. I clenched my inner walls tightly around my favorite part of him, loving every inch of his long, thick cock. In his fevered pace, he was practically standing now, my legs wrapped tightly around his lower back. Moving my hands to grip his wide shoulders, I pulled frantically at his tie and collar, desperate for more skin. The knot loosened a little and I managed to get two buttons undone. Leaning in to lick his sweaty skin, I groaned as the new angle pushed his cock deeper into me. High-pitched whimpers were escaping my lips and blanketing his throat. I finally managed to rip the tie from his shirt just as the head of his cock bumped my weak spot. The groan came low and deep, the tension building right where his cock was hitting.

Digging my fingernails into the soft hair at the back of his head, I ripped a button from his shirt with my teeth before licking through the soft curls of his chest hair. He smelled like sin and tasted like heaven. If I weren't enjoying myself so much, I might drop to my knees and get to the source of the taste. Maybe later. I was sure there would be another card game and I never minded going under a table for him.

Our bodies were slipping as the air around us became even more humid. Dropping suddenly back down to his chair, he pulled me hard onto him and just like that I was coming. Pulling frantically at his hair and biting at his nipples through his shirt, my pussy clenched tightly onto his cock. The grip was so tight he could barely keep up his movement and as I spiraled into another orgasm, he finally came.

Our movements slowed and eventually I felt my pussy unclench, although he stayed deep within me. Buttoning the few buttons that remained on his shirt and adjusting my dress, I collapsed onto his chest. Listening to our heartbeats slow down, I watched him turn to join in the next hand. Closing my eyes, I enjoyed the scent of our sex mingling with the sticky Mississippi River air. After listening to the quiet murmurings of poker being played and other men getting off on their escorts, I opened my eyes and slid off of him. He kept one arm wrapped around my waist, holding me on his lap. He won the hand and after scooping the pile of chips to his side of the table, he cocked his head in the direction of his hat that was still on the floor.

"Mind getting that, babe?"

I smiled and slipped off of his lap, my knees softly hitting the floor. Keeping one hand on his upper thigh to steady myself, I reached around his chair until I felt my fingers close around the brim of the fedora. Plopping it down on my head, I straightened back up and placed my other hand on his thigh as well. He never zipped back up so I could see his cock beginning to stir again. Still glistening with my pussy juices, I was eager to lick it clean and then make it cum again. But before I could the boat was sharply rocking.

There was shouting followed by a few gunshots and then screaming. Panic ensued. The men at the poker game stood quickly and started dashing off in various directions. I scrambled to my feet, relieved when my man took my hand. Quickly zipping his pants, he pulled me towards the stairs when the yelling got clearer.

"Raid! It's a raid!"

We were pushed apart by the mad rush of people that were moving in both directions on the narrow stairway. No one knew which way to go and before I knew it I was on the lower deck, outside under the stars. And my man was nowhere to be found.

**END A/N: Two questions: How do you like the line up of exotic male dancers Alice has employed? Anyone feel a little cockblocked by Bella switching into fantasy mode at the last second? Thanks for reading and reviewing!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Let's get a little Edward POV on what happened at the club, shall we? I promise, no rehashing of the lemon that Bella kind of gave us... although I can promise a no-holds barred lemon from Edward... and he doesn't have the same imagination "problem" that Bella does. Oh and get ready to meet Rose.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or Water For Elephants... where Rob's fuckhot busted face inspired this lemon.**

EPOV

My brain was slow to process just what was going on. The thumping club music was being echoed by sirens. The strobing lights picked up a red and blue tint. Cat calls and joyous shrieks morphed into angry yelling and shrill screams. Dancing, writhing bodies or rushing, frantic people?

What was going on?

I was suddenly, painfully aware of loss. Absence. Cold nothingness. Dammit, my half-hard cock was briefly exposed under the heavy, flashing lights. My brain was processing just enough to inform my hands of the need to zip up and order my legs to stand. The circular couch I had been occupying was now empty and I felt a tight hand on my wrist. It must be her.

"Dude, what the fuck? Where is Alice?" It was Emmett.

He continued shouting, his face red. But I scanned the crowd behind him. Where was she? Sure, I got off and I was pretty sure she got off, but I wasn't used to being left so soon. Hell, I could've gone again. Maybe in a more private location. But still.

"Jesus Christ, Edward. Did you hear me?"

Before I could answer, Emmett was moving away from me.

"Em!"

He may have yelled something but it was swallowed by the chaos around us. I saw his hand waving to me and I stumbled down from the platform, frantically straightening my shirt and jacket along the way. Something was definitely going on. Emmett had stopped to direct a group of club goers to the exit doors. Fewer people, moving faster, were heading in the opposite direction. Toward _Inspiration_.

A handful of what I assumed to be male dancers were herding patrons towards _Insight_. And when I saw the first uniformed police officer, my brain finally started working again. I started working again. Sure, this was supposed to be a night off but Alice was our client and friend. If something was going down, she'd need PR.

Even with the access doorways in the dividing wall tonight, it was difficult getting to _Inspiration_. The cops had made their way in and everyone else was being shut out. I glimpsed Emmett just inside one of the doorways but wasn't close enough to reach him. My six feet and two inches gave me an advantage over the crowd as I scanned for Alice. A not-insignificant part of my brain was still looking for my Mystery Woman.

_Focus, Edward, focus._

I wished I'd paid better attention to Alice's roster of male dancers. I'd seen at least eight of them but couldn't be sure how many more there were. It was a tad presumptuous to assume that one of them was involved in whatever was going on, but it was a likely conclusion to jump to. All it took was one jealous boyfriend for things to get out of control. Alice had assured me left and right that she wasn't running a sex club but I'd be a fool to think none of her dancers would be shedding their clothes.

I took advantage of the lines of people streaming past me to weave my way forward and finally into _Inspiration_. Spotting Emmett, I ran over to him.

"What's going on?"

He didn't turn to me, still looking around frantically for Alice, I could only assume.

"While you were busy getting a fucking lap dance, one of Alice's boys was getting the shit beat out of him. Alice!"

The lights were still strobing, so I had no idea how he spotted her, but Emmett was off and running again. _One of her boys_. That must mean one of the dancers.

_Shit. I was right._

I knew nothing about being a jealous boyfriend but I was a guy. If I was dancing naked, surrounded by women who were slipping me dollar bills, body parts might rise to the occasion. It doesn't take much imagination to see where things may end up next.

Running in the direction Emmett had gone, I could now make out Alice. She was kneeling on the floor, hovering protectively over a mostly nude figure that was lying prone on the floor. A tight circle of police were making it hard to see just what was going on. The music abruptly cut out and the yelling became more pronounced. Emmett had broken through the police circle and I pressed close behind him before the cops could block me out.

Alice's tiny hands were covered in blood. A spattering of the dark liquid was all over the chest of the dancer as well as the floor. I tried to get a good look at the guy to see how badly he was hurt but was distracted by the source of the yelling. It was a tall blonde woman. She was beautiful enough to be one of Alice's dancers but her clothes and demeanor made me realize that was unlikely. She was wearing jeans and a nice blouse and the stream of profanity exploding from her pink lips was incredible.

"You are fucking dead, J! Dead! You little fucking shit!"

Despite Alice's defensive posture, she yelled back and I realized she was on the floor only out of protectiveness, not fear.

"Get her the hell out of here! Who do you think you are? Out now! Get her the fuck out of here! Now!"

The cops were trying to do just that, one gripping each of her arms. I could make out her tightly clenched bloody fist and watched as another officer stepped in between her and Alice. He was trying to back the angry blonde away without touching her. But she wasn't going anywhere. Emmett was usually good in these sorts of situations. His size made him the perfect police ally with an unruly suspect.

The blonde broke free and lunged for the guy on the ground. Emmett was the only one closer to her than me, so I stepped forward out of sheer reflexes and was rewarded with a sharp blow to my jaw. Just as my head shot up toward the ceiling - strobes flashing painfully in my eyes - I was struck again just above my eye. My head was knocked down, my chin slamming into my shoulder. The first throbbing blow was now aching from the second hit. My jaw and chin were in such pain that I almost failed to notice the blood that was streaming down into my right eye.

Finally Emmett stepped forward. The cops had already gotten the blonde back under control but Emmett was providing a second line of defense between me and the crazy bitch. I watched him follow the cops as they roughly forced her from the room before kneeling down next to Alice.

"Alice. What the fuck is going on?"

Eyes wide and rimmed red, her hand darted up to my split eyebrow. I flinched backward as she frantically tried to brush the blood away from eye.

"Shit. I'm so sorry. So sorry," she said.

I pressed the cuff of my jacket to the blood streaming down from my forehead as I watched Alice's anxious eyes turn back to the guy on the ground. His face was the source of the blood on the floor but his cupped hands covered the exact injury. Probably his nose. Alice's hands quickly but lightly fluttered around his bare chest, unsure of what else to do.

"I don't know. That bitch just fucking stormed in and… oh god- what the fuck... …and then she fucking hit you and-"

"Did he do something? Anything? People can think-"

"He's a professional, Edward. He did nothing."

"Just got my fucking nose broken." At least that's what I thought he said. The guy was trying to sit, using one arm to prop himself up. The blood streamed down his chin onto his chest and Alice pushed him back to the floor.

"Jesus Christ, Jasper. Lay the fuck down. Where's the ambulance?"

"No, no, no-" That was the guy, Jasper, again.

I helped Alice hold him down before noticing a stretcher being wheeled to my side. Scrambling to my feet, I allowed the EMTs access to Jasper. One of them noticed my injury and gave me a quick once over. I was more concerned with Jasper and Alice than my stupid face. After a quick butterfly bandage and multiple reassurances on my part that I'd get checked out, the EMT joined his partner who was working on Jasper.

The blonde was still yelling but had been moved to the other side of the club. Emmett had gone with her and the police. Even if he couldn't find out exactly what happened, I knew his brute strength may come in handy if she was on something and managed to overpower the cops holding her. From the looks of it, she could take out a whole squad with the state she was in.

Alice was gripping Jasper's hand in both of hers and before I could get her away, she had rushed off with the stretcher. I followed them outside but as I watched them get tucked into the back of an ambulance I realized I should probably stick around to deal with the aftermath.

The black windows of Alice's club were a good enough mirror. After using my jacket to get rid of the drying blood over my eye, I quickly removed it. Tossing it through the club's doorway, I could care less if I got it back. It was destroyed. Rolling up my shirtsleeves and tucking in one loose shirttail, I leaned closer to the window. My face would look like shit under camera lights but most people's did, at least I had an excuse. I ran my fingers through my hair but it looked about the same as it had when I arrived tonight. Fucked, as usual. Emmett was half a block away where the blonde was being handcuffed. A handful of cruisers with their lights on were providing a nice barrier between the hysterical blonde and the growing crowd of onlookers.

There was sure to be press somewhere around here. A quick glance around and I discovered a few news crews filming the scene. A nearby reporter had cornered a couple of women that had been inside and was in the process of getting her equipment set up.

_Right. Damage control._

I leapt into action and did just what Alice had hired me to do. I was about to make her opening night a success.

-0-0-0-

The cab ride to the hospital was blissfully quiet. Ninety minutes of reporter coddling and club promoting, I wouldn't be surprised if Alice had double the crowd tomorrow night. A quick check of my watch had me self-correcting.

_Make that tonight._

I had planned on a long evening with little sleep when I walked into _Insight_ that night but didn't expect it to end in the ER. And yet that was where I was headed. With the club goers gone and the reporters satisfied, I just had to check in with Emmett to find out how things had gone on his end. And to find out exactly what had happened. Just because I knew next to nothing about the incident didn't mean I couldn't make a press statement. But there was still a part of me that wanted to know the truth.

The ER was as busy as one might expect but luckily Jasper had already been moved to a semi-private room. Making my way down the hall, I was surprised to hear familiar yelling. I swung the door open to find Jasper sitting up in bed, Alice still holding his hand, a doctor putting the finishing touches on the bandages on Jasper's nose and the blonde standing at the foot of the bed. Oh yeah, and my dumb ass brother standing just inside the door. I nudged his shoulder.

"What the fuck, man? What is she doing here?" I whispered, nodding toward the blonde.

"Fuck, Edward." Emmett must have been lost in thought because he jumped when I spoke.

"So?" I hissed.

"She's his sister. The guy in the bed." He pointed.

"She's Jasper's sister?"

Emmett nodded.

"No charges." I assumed.

"Nope."

"Why the fuck did they let her in here? Why did you?"

"It's a free country, Edward, I can't force her out of the room."

I quirked my uninjured eyebrow at him. Why the hell not force her out of the room? He'd done it before, especially when it was in the best interest of a client.

"Do Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum really need to be here? Face looks nice by the way, Dee."

I'd ignored the blonde's yelling up to this point.

"Fuck, Rose, lay off." Jasper winced as he spoke.

I nudged Emmett again. I didn't mind standing up to her, but I still had no idea what was going on and she'd already managed to punch me in the face - twice. It seemed best that someone who knew the score deal with her.

Emmett took an unwilling step forward and cleared his throat.

"We're- uh – damage control, ma'am."

_Ma'am? What the fuck?_

"So the fuck what?"

Emmett cleared his throat again. "Well, you um- caused a little bit of, um- damage." He trailed off on the last word, choosing instead to point at Jasper. I was thankful he left me out of the damage tally.

Jasper took Emmett's motion and ran with it. He pointed exaggeratingly at his bandaged face. The blonde gripped the rail at the foot of the bed and leaned forward.

"You deserve a fuck lot more than that, Jasper. I'm just getting started with your broken nose. Your fucking balls are next." She turned to Alice, who was frantically typing away on her phone with one hand. "Doubt he'll dance for you if his balls have been ripped off."

"I'll fucking dance for her with my cock ripped off!" Jasper bellowed before yelling out in pain. "Fuck!"

"Awesome plan, J! I'll be sure to take care of your balls and then your cock! What else should I fucking destroy? You've already managed to fuck up your life enough! Why not finish the job?" The blonde was furious but luckily had not moved from the foot of the bed.

Alice finally looked up from her phone, to Emmett. "Get her the fuck out of here, Em."

He looked bewildered at her request. "Uh, what?"

"Her. Get. Her. Out. She's upsetting my employee."

"Oh, that's rich! Your employee or your fucking gigolo?"

"Listen… Rose, is it?" Emmett took a tentative step forward.

"No, it's fucking Ice Cold Bitch to you." She turned to face him and firmly crossed her arms. "You fucking touch me and he'll look like fucking Rob Pattinson compared to what I'll do to you."

_Holy shit. This bitch is crazy._

The doctor was still in the room. I watched him type a short message into his pager before excusing himself from the room. That was surely a cop code. They'd be in here in a matter of seconds. I caught Alice's eye and she frantically looked from me to the doctor and back again.

_Right. No more cops._

I slipped out through door and managed to catch him.

"Hey listen, we don't need the cops in there. It's just a little family misunderstanding."

"I've seen my share of 'family misunderstandings.' But if you think I'd call the cops on Dr. Hale… I like my balls where they are, thanks." He frowned at me.

"Dr. Hale?"

"Ice Cold Bitch in there. That's Dr. Hale. She's head of pediatric oncology here and I know enough to steer clear."

"Oh. Shit. Okay. Thanks."

The doctor quickly set off. I'm not sure if he was trying to escape the wrath of Dr. Ice Cold Bitch or see to another patient. But I couldn't say I blamed him. Glancing back toward Jasper's door I had to wonder what was going on with Emmett tonight. He was usually a smooth operator with enough charm to tame even that beast. But he was definitely off his game tonight. The yelling had gotten quieter so maybe Emmett had finally worked his magic on the blonde bitch.

Taking a moment, I leaned back against the wall. I was exhausted. My eyes closed and I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to compartmentalize all that had happened in the last few hours. It was only then that I was assaulted with images other than bloody noses and screaming blonde bitches. All I saw was blue… that blue barely there dress. And brown. Deep brown. Her eyes and her hair.

_But that fuck hot dress... _

Sighing, I opened my eyes. The parts of my body that were exhausted waged war on the few protesters. There was one major defector and he was certainly taking a stand.

Tucking in my dislodged shirt again offered the chance to discreetly adjust myself. Scant drops of blood were escaping the bandage over my eye, effectively ruining my shirt now too. I needed a shower and a bed in the worst way. In the state I was in I surely should have been thinking about washing the blood off of me and getting some rest. But I was planning on using the shower to get something else off and wasn't entirely thrilled with the idea of getting into bed alone.

It was probably the right hook to my face followed by the left that had my blood boiling, but I wasn't just pissed at the blonde. My Mystery Woman had given me the best lay I'd had in a long time – Victoria included – but left me hanging. I wasn't beyond the one night stand but was enough of a gentleman to exchange names, phone numbers and usually a brief sexual history. Of course she had managed to get my cock into a condom before jumping on. My mind was still trying to figure how she had done it. God knows I was a little distracted, but I usually noticed when someone pulled my cock out and rolled a condom onto it. Even if I was the one doing it, but especially if a chick was the one doing it.

_I'd like her to do it again. Maybe slower, so I can watch her gorgeous fingers wrap around me-_

Why the hell was I still thinking about her and getting laid? After the way she had left me?

_Because it was hot. She was hot._

What about everything else that had happened tonight? Everything that happened after she'd left should have been enough to make my cock stand down. No such luck.

Pushing my heavy body away from the wall, I felt the groan from within my chest before it erupted on my lips.

She was here.

The dark blue fringe of her too-short skirt was swinging against the pale skin of her legs as she practically jogged down the hallway.

_Why the hell is she here?_

She was looking down at something in her hand. Her phone? Her purse? And there I was, standing in the middle of the hallway looking like a train wreck frozen in time. Self-preservation should have been a concern as she grew close enough to run right into my battered body, but I couldn't care less. Looking up at the last minute, she stumbled a bit trying to slow down but still managed to fall into me. Onto me. All over me.

I saw her eyes register surprise a moment before they melted into recognition and finally lust. Our lips crashed together. I could feel now that my lower lip was swollen along with my jaw, but I didn't care. Pushing my tongue into her mouth, I tasted mint. Knowing that my own mouth burned with the metallic aftertaste of blood, I forced her to drink it in. She answered my attack by pulling back and biting on my lower lip. I tried not to wince and failed.

"Sorry." She murmured but I wasn't interested in apologies. I was interested in her lips and her tongue. All over me. I wrapped my arms around her lower back and pushed her toward the door directly behind her, hoping desperately it would be empty. A silent thrill of victory shot through me as I realized it was a nearly empty supply closet. Our bodies fell hard against the door, closing it behind us. Darkness enveloped us immediately.

The fringe of her skirt fell against the back of my hands as I dipped them down to feel her tight little ass. I wasn't sure how much pressure my body could take but I needed to feel her on me. Her hips pressed forward into mine, forcing my hard cock against her. Although the sounds coming out of my mouth were from pleasure now, she pulled back from me slightly. Holding her body tight to mine, I realized there was the tiniest sliver of light breaking in from under the closed door behind my back.

I could see flecks of gold in the soft curls that fell around her face. Her mouth was swollen and tinged red from the blood on mine and her teeth were a brilliant white as I watched her bite briefly into her lower lip. She lifted a hand and ghosted her fingers lightly over my bruised face. Her eyes flickered from mine up to my busted eyebrow as her fingers moved up my face. Narrowing her brown eyes, I watched a slight crease appear on her forehead.

"It's okay. I'm okay-"

"Shhhh." Her hush was low and drawn out.

Her fingers continued their exploration of my face. She looked as though she was memorizing every detail of my injuries, filing them away in the recesses of her brain. For what, I had no idea. But her hand reached my mouth and I snapped my teeth playfully toward her fingers, finally earning a small smile. Bringing her eyes back up to mine, she slipped her hand behind my neck and pulled me down to her. This kiss was less urgent but just as passionate as before. Her lips moved carefully on mine.

"You can't break me."

She answered with her kiss, pressing harder onto my mouth. Admittedly, it hurt a little bit. But her other hand slipped down between us to rub against the hard bulge of my cock that was aching to be free. As much as my face hurt from its encounter with Dr. Ice Cold Bitch and my body ached from exhaustion, my cock was definitely the most painful part of my being right now.

My Mystery Woman's hand left my neck and traveled lower to assist in releasing me from my pants. I took the opportunity to run my nose down the long line of her neck. Pressing open mouthed kisses along her neck, I sighed loudly when she finally pulled my cock free. Her hands were warm and soft and then she started stroking.

"Fu-u-uck." I hissed lowly into her neck.

One hand left my cock and I felt it slip around my fingers. She was pulling me across the tiny room. There was a low desk that she managed to prop her ass on.

Pulling me to stand between her legs, she said, "I don't want to take any chances with that body of yours. Take me."

The anger that I'd kept at bay for the last several hours climbed in my chest. Rapidly crawling toward my head, it was making my bruises throb painfully. My cock hardened further and I felt the seething fury curl my hands into claws. Suddenly I had her hip bones locked between my hands. I could tell I took her by surprise as I quickly turned her, pushing her down onto the desk.

Her arms shot out across the flat surface, fingers grappling to take hold, as I guided my cock into her wet, waiting pussy. Thrusting forcefully into her, she gasped but I couldn't make myself slow down. Pumping into her, I leaned my tired frame over her lean back. Feeling her ass thrust back toward me only served as encouragement. Pushing harder and straining deeper, I breathed loudly against her neck. Holding my breath to bite her skin just hard enough, I felt her shiver below me. Stretching my arms forward, sliding my hands down her long arms, I wrapped my fingers between hers. The tension building in my cock was crippled my hands into claws again, digging into the soft skin of her palms. Our hips found a fast rhythm together, thrusting and pulling. In and out. The slippery, slapping sounds urged a low growl to escape my throat and I bit down on her neck again. I could taste blood and wasn't sure if it was mine or hers. Her head snapped around, lips searching for mine. We found each other's open mouths and clashed our teeth together. Sucking and biting, she pulled harshly on my bruised mouth and I slammed my hips harder against her.

My anger had settled in my balls, burning and raging, desperate for release. Rising up off of her, I dragged my nails down her back before reaching her hips again. The fringe of her dress was swinging down over my cock as I pumped furiously into her. Pushing the skirt up over her ass, I was afforded a beautiful view. The white of her skin was so pale it almost glowed in the dark closet. Her tight, round ass fit perfectly in my hands and I could see her wetness soaking my long cock as I pulled out of her.

_Goddamn it. She got a condom on me again. How the fuck-_

Her groans pulled my mind back to the task at hand. Thrusting into her, watching my cock disappear into the tight heat of her pussy, I moaned with her. Pressure building, balls aching, I thrust harder and harder. Her low, sexy sounds turned into fast panting and high-pitching whimpering. Her head was lolling down on the desk in front of her, but I wouldn't let her have me doing all the work. I was the one with the fucking busted body after all. I'd been used and abused enough for the night. Burying a fist deep into her long hair, I pulled her head back, exposing her gleaming neck to me. Even in the darkness, I could tell it was bruised. I still wasn't sure whose blood decorated that glorious skin, but I didn't care.

Leaning down to suck and lick it off of her, I just had to bite her again when she begged, "Harder."

There were three things I was doing at the time and it took too much effort to figure out which one she was talking about. So I did all three. Yanking her head back, I dug my teeth deeper into her neck while driving my cock even deeper into her. Her scream echoed in the room when she came. The squeezing pulse that built inside of her was enough to send me over the edge. I thrust until I was unable to move and held deep within her. I could feel her legs shaking in front of me and her inner walls clenching me tightly. My hands sought out hers and tension gripped us there too. Every muscle in our bodies was tightly wound, seizing hold of each other.

Juices trickling down my crotch, her pussy was the first to let go. I slipped out of her and her legs quickly buckled in response. Our hands were the last to release. My body was holding hers in place against the low desk. When I finally pried my fingers from hers, she rested her forehead onto the table. I briefly pressed mine against her bare, slick back. My slowing breath caused her skin to rise in small goose bumps. Finally standing, I took a step back. Stripping my cock of the drenched condom, I tossed it into a trashcan just next to the doorway.

Zipping up, I leaned back against the door and watched my Mystery Woman stand up from the desk. The fringe of her skirt slipped down and swung lightly around her legs. She turned and sat back on the desk, dragging a hand down her neck to settle just on her collarbone. I watched her pulse slow in the veins of her neck. Licking my lips, I felt my cock stir. I wanted to taste her again. My eyes shot to her legs and the pussy that was barely hidden by the dark blue fabric of her dress. I wanted to taste her there.

Dragging a deep breath into my lungs didn't help. The air was heavy with the scent of our sex and I held it captive in my chest until I couldn't stand it any longer. Forcing the air out, I closed my eyes and discovered I was slightly dizzy. Reaching for the doorknob, I finally opened my eyes as I found my feet and stood somewhat steadily. Looking back to my completely fucked Mystery Woman, I felt somewhat vindicated.

Before I could leave her like she did me, she lifted her hand. Her middle finger had a slight smear of blood on it. Slipping her tongue out to taste it, she dragged the finger across her bottom teeth and closed her eyes briefly. I missed my chance to leave before her eyes opened. My heavy feet couldn't be willed to move. There was something about this Mystery Woman that had a physical hold on me. Refusing to let my mind join ranks, I finally convinced my legs to move. Stepping out into the hallway, I ignored my rumpled shirt and dragged a hand through my hair.

I'd gotten what I wanted. A release for my anger. A turning of the tables on my Mystery Woman. But all I could think about was who she was, where I could find her and just when I would see her again.

**END A/N: So... are we enjoying the double length chapters? I couldn't leave you high and dry with no lemons in sight! What do you all think of Rose? (Is anyone really surprised?) Next update will likely be on Thursday or Friday... we're almost caught up to where the story is on Twilighted... which means no more multi-week updates. But I promise to supply enough hot lemons to make up for it! :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: So as it turns out, Bella's not the only one who gets distracted by Jasper's presence. (Guilty!) So this chapter is more of a lime than a lemon, but hopefully you all will forgive me when we get back to the real lemons next chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I am still quite possessive of half-naked and all-naked Jasper, but don't own any of these guys. Argh.**

BPOV

_It had been my lack of panties that first caught his attention. But tonight I was wearing expensive undergarments. _

"_Italian lace and Chinese silk!" My roommate had exclaimed._

_I hardly knew enough of the world to confirm or deny her suspicions but I could feel them on my skin and they felt like heaven. If I hadn't taken a long look in my full length mirror before slipping a dress on, I might never have known I was wearing anything. The deep blue bra and panties were offset with a cream-colored lace but they felt like a second skin. Running my hands over the small triangle of fabric that covered my already moist heat, I could only imagine that was what he had in mind when he picked them out. _

_Of course I'd seen him at the games and on the riverboat plenty of times before. But it took him nearly two months to notice me. When the unassuming package arrived on the doorstep of our apartment, I was thrilled to see my name scrolled elegantly on the attached note. Some might have viewed the gift as crude or assuming but I knew better. Edgar was a man who knew what he wanted. And he wanted me._

I bit my lip and tapped anxiously on the "E" key of my laptop. My other hand hovered over the touchpad briefly before clicking over to the other Word document I had open.

_The midnight train that rolled through town always woke me up. Although my room was stories above it and across the street, there was something about the clicking track that called to me. That train had brought me many adventures, mostly good. After all, I could hardly forget the train's role in my grand arrival into town. A girl in trouble, on the run, this was the first town that looked promising and when the train failed to slow, I jumped off._

_Leaning against the windowsill, I took in a deep breath of dusty air through the open window. The desert scents that rode in on that train were magical to me. If I hadn't had my eyes open, I might have missed him. At least I thought it was a him. Another jumper. The slight cloud of sand that rose from where he landed was gone in the rush of the train as it continued down the track and out of sight._

_Being so late, none of the storefronts were open so no candles were lit. But the moon was full and as he stood and backed up against the nearest building, the light fell across his face. The breath rushed from my lungs at a speed that could rival any train. He was beautiful. Tall, with hair that sparked in the moonlight. Sure, our town was a result of the gold rush, but I had to think any of the ladies might settle for bronze after getting one good look at this man. _

_The hair flopped into his face as he took quick stock of the damage the jump brought. When he rose, I noticed the knee of his trousers were torn but was captivated when I caught a glimpse of his green eyes. They distracted me long enough that I almost missed his other injuries. The bruised lip, black eye and split eyebrow surely weren't the work of the train. This one was in trouble. If there was anything the mistress liked, it was helping one down on his luck. It was late but I doubted she'd be asleep. And if any of the girls in the bordello were going to get their hands on him, it was me._

I reached for my Chapstick. The bad habit of lip grinding during bouts of writer's block was only going to get worse; an ounce of prevention was my best defense right now. Minimizing the document and putting both stories side by side, I leaned back in my chair.

_As if a little distance will help, Bella._

Sighing at my inner voice, I knew she was right. Writer's block was hardly my problem right now. If anything, I had too many ideas. But I needed to pick just one. And I couldn't very well cast my Fantasy Man in both a 1920s riverboat romp and a turn of the century, wild west adventure. Some writers look through notes or pages of scribbles, not me.

Closing my eyes, I was quickly transported to opening night at Alice's club. Even encountering Fantasy Man had been a miracle. But the hot, frantic sex had just sealed the deal. I had gotten out all kinds of frustration. My physical needs were met and I walked out of _Inspiration_ with miles of it.

The second I touched his fedora, I knew we were on a riverboat. Steamy and sweaty, sitting at a card table on a lazy riverboat. The scene came almost as fast as I did. After a quick exit out into the warm, dark night I found myself scripting the chapter over and over in my head until I could get home and commit it to my hard drive.

Eschewing taxis, walking proved to be a problem. Our apartment wasn't close by and after having relived the scene again and again as I went, I had almost decided to go back for more. The practical side of my brain that wanted to get a paycheck won and I continued toward home. I think my aching feet that strode along in the highest of heels agreed with that decision.

Half a block from home, my phone rang and Alice was in a frenzy. Jasper, bitch, hit, blood, hospital was about all I caught. Finally hailing a cab, I started receiving furious texts from Alice. My eyes never left my phone as I received and replied to text after text. Even dashing down the hallway in the ER, my eyes were trained on her latest message. Until I saw him.

Tipping the front legs of my chair to touch the floor again, I groaned and placed my head in my hands. Reliving our second encounter was far more fast and rough but just as pleasant as the first had been. But I'd been taken by surprise. No one had ever taken the upper hand before. Quil had always followed my instructions to a T. And even the few other experiences I had were all very willing to let me lead. This had been different. But so damn sexy.

When I saw the bruises on his face, my mind flew to the Wild West. And perhaps his forcefulness after had been a blessing in disguise. The character quickly came together in my mind. Just before he'd left the room, part of me wondered if he was pissed about something. He seemed mad. But I couldn't possibly imagine what he might have to be angry about. Hell, wouldn't most guys love to get laid in public with no strings attached? The way he attacked me at the hospital, I was pretty sure he was into it.

My relief at having been spared an actual conversation with him was enormous. He was gone by the time I straightened up and made my way to Jasper's room. Alice was hovering over Jasper and gave me a detailed description of each of his injuries. I realized Fantasy Man had obviously been involved in whatever brawl had taken place and wondering how many others had been taken to the hospital. It was when Alice told me that one woman had done the damage that I was in shock. I tried to stop myself from asking her who else the bitch hit, but couldn't. Alice didn't seem too concerned as she murmured something about one of her PR guys.

Which brought me to here. The present. Sitting in front of my computer, staring at two totally hot story ideas. Unable to decide which one I wanted to pursue. But knowing full well I needed to use my Fantasy Man to help me choose. Wanted to use him. I kind of wanted him to use me again.

Smiling, I pushed away from my problem and headed out into the living room. If Alice were ever home I would be more than happy to declare her bad luck with men officially over. At least for me. She had been right about Horndog Emmett. She was also my only connection to him. If I wanted to hook up with him again, I would need a way to contact him. Alice was that contact.

I knew Alice was busy with her club, especially with all that had happened opening night, so she had good reason to be away from home so much. But I suspected the real reason was lying on our couch. Or standing in the kitchen, as it were.

"Morning Jasper," I forced my eyes from his naked torso to follow a long finger that pointed to the clock over the stove. 12:08. "Or afternoon. Sorry."

"No apologies from my generous host."

Despite having missed the blowout between Jasper and his sister, it had been a no brainer to offer our couch to him. It was the least we could do. After all, Alice's club was the catalyst in their family rift. A few blows to Jasper's beautiful mug may not have been a big deal to him but the fact that he and Rose shared a place meant that he was now not only out of work but also homeless. Jasper had been endlessly thanking us for our generosity but I was still mildly perplexed as to why I'd been the one to extend the offer. Alice was usually the charitable one. But it seemed she was still hung up on his employee status. I'd tried to point out that his employment was currently on hold, but she failed to see my side. As a result of her attitude toward the situation, she'd all but moved into _Inspiration_ a week and a half ago. I had my suspicions about her still sleeping here but Jasper was more of a roommate right now than Alice.

Case in point: the croissants and fresh strawberries on the counter.

"Iced mocha decaf." Jasper smiled as he pushed the Dunkin Donuts cup across the counter.

Taking a longer sip than was necessary, I attempted a subtle once over of the man in front of me. The bruise from his broken nose had spread to form a purple tint under his eyes. Despite the injury, he was still remarkably handsome. His loose blond curls had a mind of their own and in proper lighting it was easy to make out the same light curls scattered across his chest.

It was when he smiled though that his good looks entered a whole different class. When his lips curled devilishly, light dimples dipped into his cheeks. Like now.

_Shit. He caught me staring._

"Perhaps it'll take more than croissants to satisfy your appetite?"

I desperately tried to appear as though I were not choking on my coffee.

"Aren't you supposed to wear a shirt into Dunkin Donuts?"

"No one's ever told me that," he said in a tone of disbelief.

"Of course they haven't. Not when you look like that," I gestured vaguely toward him.

"What? This?" He trailed a slow hand down his chest, across his six pack and finally stopped at the low waistband of his gym shorts. They sat crooked on his hips, leaving no question about his lack of underwear.

Jasper cleared his throat at the same time that he dipped a thumb into the elastic. It wasn't easy to look away as he slid his hand back and forth, back and forth.

"Nothing like a side order of sexy torture with my breakfast," I smiled up at him.

"It doesn't have to be torture, Bells. Or just a side order."

Leaning across the counter, I popped a strawberry into my mouth. "Alas, it does, Mr. Hale. I can't have you thinking you owe me some kind of rent."

"I'm not above a little whoring." He bent down to my level on the counter.

"Don't I know it."

The croissants were buttery and still warm. Jasper popped a bite into his mouth and before I got completely distracted, I had to change the subject. Thankfully, Jasper had it covered.

"So the writing must me going well if you didn't even notice the time."

"It's a nice feeling to get lost in a story. It never seems to happen as much as I'd like though." We both straightened up from the counter and I took a seat on the nearest barstool.

"Maybe you should try reading more instead of writing."

"Trust me, I'd love to read more. Hell, if I could get paid to read instead of write, I'd be all set. Got any recommendations?"

Jasper was leaning back against the counter behind him, still slowly torturing me with the way his hands and mouth were working on the croissant. The sad truth of it was that he seemed to be completely unaware of just how sexy his every little movement was.

"Nothing you haven't already read, I'm sure."

"Try me."

"Bella, I've spent the last three years reading business textbooks. Driest stuff on earth."

I'd spent the first three days that Jasper stayed with us hovering over him. I wanted to make him feel at home and found myself enjoying his charming personality and easy-going nature even more than I'd expected. We'd talked a lot in those first few days and I got most of his recent history. The important stuff being the sudden death of his parents in a car accident, followed by his decision to drop out of business school and head to Boston to crash in his big sister's spare bedroom. Of course she didn't approve of him leaving school but figured he just needed a break. We all knew just how surprised she had been to discover him working as an exotic dancer with no plans to return to college.

Jasper continued. "The only reading for pleasure I've done has been in this very apartment." He glanced at the floor sheepishly for a second.

"Here? Our books?"

"What can I say? I stay up late and there's not much on tv after a certain hour."

My brain was working too fast to send a blush to my cheeks. What had he been reading? My books were all over the apartment. Sure, there was no author picture and my penname was borrowed from my stepmom, but still.

"So what exactly have you read?" My voice was suddenly very quiet.

"_Phases of the Moon_ and _Stranded on Wolfe Island_. Although I gotta say I'm looking forward to the next one. Captive something. If the title's any indication, there's gonna be some kinky shit going on."

"_Captive on Wolfe Island_," I murmured.

"Right, right. I thought it was kinda weird that you guys had so many books by the same person, but I can see why after reading a few. That stuff is hot."

"Thanks." My mouth was suddenly very dry and the coffee was doing nothing to help it. It was a small circle of people that knew about my profession. Most just knew I was a writer. But the select group that knew just what kind of books I wrote, they were chosen after a significant amount of scrutiny on my part.

Suddenly, Jasper was standing in front of me, a strange look crossed over his face. The wide smirk on his face never wavered as I watched understanding settle into his eyes.

"Why would thank me, Bella Swan? Why would you thank me for complimenting your book collection?"

I squirmed a little in my chair. Jasper leaned over, hands gripping the back of the barstool, his face infinitely closer to mine.

"Would you mind telling me just what you're working on in there?" His head jerked toward my room and I glanced down the hallway to my half-open door. The hall seemed impossibly long all of a sudden and I was being blocked by over six feet of muscled man. There was no way I could get there before him.

No sooner had the thought crossed my mind and he was down the hallway, in my room, slamming the door closed in my face.

I pounded two closed fists on the door. "Jasper! Let me in, Jasper!"

"Not until I read the latest chapter, Bells… I mean, Renee!"

"Fuck, Jasper! Let me in!"

" 'It had been my lack of panties that first caught his attention. But tonight I was wearing expensive undergarments.' Ooh, this is good, Bella… "

"Jasper!" I yanked on the door handle but knew it wouldn't budge. There was no lock on the antique door, but my computer wasn't far from it. Jasper had a long enough arm to hold it closed while he read through all I had written.

I gave up. Clearly no amount of yelling or pounding would make him open the door. I would just have to wait. And so I did. With my forehead pressed against the door, I waited.

My hand was still holding the doorknob and I felt it turn under my fingers after at least twenty hours. Okay, maybe two minutes, but still. Jasper leaned against the doorway as he opened the door a crack.

"So which is it Bella?"

"Which is what?" I spoke into the door.

"The gangster or the cowboy?"

That did it. I pushed hard against Jasper's chest with one hand, watching his grin spread even further as he fell back into my room. Getting both hands on him this time, I pushed again. Before I could take my hands back, he had his wrapped around my wrists, pulling me toward the bed. It was my fault for pushing him in that direction but all of a sudden I was lying on top of him on my bed.

"Are you going to answer me?"

I shook my head and tried to get up. "Let me go, Jasper."

"Gangster or cowboy?"

My hands felt like they were on fire, pressed against his hot, bare chest. I gave up struggling and my head fell onto him. He was only asking the same question I'd been asking myself for days now.

"I don't know." I answered, my lips brushing against his chest. His laughter surrounded me as it built in his chest and he loosened his grip on me. I rolled off of him and collapsed onto my back. Lying side by side, he continued laughing.

"You're a really good writer, Bells."

My head was buried under my arms and I was pretty sure he'd have a tough time deciphering the muffled response I gave.

"Seriously." He had stopped laughing but I could still hear the smile in his voice. "I didn't mean to upset you by storming in here but when I saw the look on your face out there. Well, it was a pretty easy to leap to figure out just what you were working on in here. That and…"

I inched an arm away from eye to peek out at him. He'd trailed off and was just staring at me. The smile was small but still there.

"It can't possibly get any worse than you finding out what I write, Jasper, so out with it."

"The drain you girls put on batteries… Jesus, I mean whatever happened to being aware of the environment. Do you know how hard it is to dispose of all that mercury?"

"Jasper Hale. You are not fucking telling me-"

"That I can hear you fucking your vibrator? Hell yes, Ms. Swan. That's one lucky contraption you've got there."

"Ugh," I groaned loudly and threw my arm back over my face. "Those sex scenes don't come easily sometimes, you know? A little inspiration helps."

My arm was being moved by Jasper's warm fingers. Leaning his face down to mine, he looked into my eyes.

"Why not go for the real thing?"

I just stared back at him. Even he couldn't be serious about that sort of a proposition.

"I'm fucking bored to death while I'm recuperating, Bella. It's the least I could do. If I spend one more night listening to that buzzing through the wall-"

"The wall next to the couch is Alice's… oh…"

"Exactly. She's as fucking hard up as you are. Of course if you take my offer anywhere near how she did…"

"You did not?" I practically jumped off the bed. Suddenly, sitting, I placed my hands firmly on Jasper's wide shoulders. "Please tell me you didn't offer to sleep with her, Jasper? Please?"

"Those fucking machines can be really loud when you're trying to sleep," he mumbled, suddenly very interested in my bedspread. "Besides, it was my fucking face that got busted… not my cock. The General is working just fine."

"I'm sure he is, Jas."

"Look Bella, I don't know how to cook or clean really. But I'm a good lay. I don't want to seem like I'm taking this situation for granted," Jasper spoke sincerely and I almost felt bad for him.

"You want to repay us for a roof over your head by sleeping with us? Um, Jasper, that would be considered taking advantage of the situation," His eyebrow rose in disbelief. "You're obviously surrounded by horny women. Start going pantless and you'll probably get jumped."

"I'm not opposed to jumping." Jasper winked and I pushed his chest again before standing up. He lay back on the bed, hands behind his head. "Okay, no more trying to sex you up. Unless you ask for it."

I sighed loudly and couldn't help but smile.

"What? I'm anything but a tease."

He was a liar, is what he was. Lying on my bed his long legs draped over the edge. His gym shorts stretched tightly across his body, emphasizing the bulge of The General. Having seen it in action, I knew it was currently in a dormant state, but still huge. The fine planes of Jasper's chest and the hard muscles of his stomach were mouthwatering. The positioning of his hands behind his head only served to exaggerate his rounded biceps. Stretching his neck slightly, I groaned inwardly as I watched the rippling it set in motion across his naked torso.

I had to get away. But seeing as my office was only steps away, I would have to settle for turning my back on him. Sitting down in front of my laptop, I glanced back and forth between when the two documents again when I heard the light creaking of my bed.

"So can you tell me what the big deal is with having two story ideas? Why not write both?"

Jasper was sitting on the bed now as I turned and draped my arm over the back of the chair.

"Liz. That's why not."

"Who's Liz?"

"My editor. She's funny and ditzy and loving and totally ruthless. If I tell her I'm stuck between two ideas she'll convince me to write both."

"And two bestsellers would be bad, why?"

"No, two bestsellers would be great. Until I needed to fulfill the next book in my contract and my ideas dried up."

"Okay, so you keep one under your hat. I get it. Which one?"

Bowing my head and shaking it at the same time, I shrugged. "That's the problem. I need to feel a connection, an inspiration. And I'm not sure which one it is just yet."

Jasper had risen from my bed and made his way across the small room. Crouching down to look into my face, he tipped my chin up with a finger.

"How do you usually decide? This can't be the first time this has happened."

_Ahhh._

The inward groan was back. For as few people knew about my career, even less knew about my research techniques. Three people to be precise. Quil, Embry and Alice. And with Jasper's constant state of near-undress and endless propositions, I wasn't sure he was the best person to be telling this to.

"Bella?"

"Uh, yeah. Well, sometimes I just… um, think about one of the sexier scenes and go from there. Or a suggestive conversation between the couple can work sometimes…"

Jasper was nodding, not looking at me but past me at the computer screen. Moving to stand behind me, he placed his hands on either side of mine. Barely leaning over my shoulder, his arm brushed my hair as he clicked on the mouse. He smelled like fresh air and coffee and the stirring in my stomach made it hard to concentrate.

Looking at the screen, I saw that Jasper had chosen one document to fill the screen. Glancing at the last line I had written, I saw that it was the riverboat piece. My fingers sat poised at the edge of the desk, barely touching the keyboard when I felt Jasper's hot breath against my neck. His voice was low and went straight through me.

"I chose blue because it makes your skin look so milky, so lovely. And I just have to have a taste."

_What? Oh fuck, he's giving me lines. He's being Edgar._

My fingers found the keys and managed to type out his words. When I didn't say anything, he ran the tip of his nose along my neck, causing me to shiver.

"I-I'm yours for the night…" I didn't trust my voice to speak the rest of the words. Knowing he was reading over my shoulder, I typed the rest of the sentence out.

"…_you can do whatever you want with me. Taste me, touch me…"_

"Giving in so soon? I like my women with a little fight in them." Jasper's lips tickled as he spoke the words just behind my ear, whispering into my hair.

"_I'm no fighter. Loving I can do. Persuading I can do."_

"Would you like to persuade me?"

"_I take any opportunity I can get to practice my techniques of persuasion."_ My fingers were finding the keys faster now.

"So you have techniques… I can't wait for you to try them."

"_Maybe I already am." The distance I had slowly been closing between us was now no more than a couple of inches. Taking one final step, I was pressed closely against him, my head tucked just under his chin. His straining erection trapped against my body._

Jasper's hands fell to my hips, not an easy thing to do with me sitting in a chair and him behind me. But the movement startled me out of my reverie. He was still here. This wasn't a one-sided conversation between characters in my head.

"I like a woman whose actions speak louder than words."

I glanced over my shoulder at Jasper and his next words came fast and soft, "Too cliché?"

Shaking my head, he tightened his grip on my hips briefly before removing his hands. His long fingers spread on my desktop again and I couldn't help but wonder how those hands would feel. Wrapped around my lower back. Curled into my hair. Cupping my breasts. Sliding into my warm heat. A slight nudge from Jasper's nose against my neck pulled me back to the present.

_Oh right! My turn._

I quickly typed in his last line before starting on mine.

"_You'll be missing out if my lips aren't involved in this exchange."_

"Oh I count on your lips, your tongue, your mouth being all over this exchange."

"_Good. Because I like to be hands on, sir."_

Jasper groaned and one of his hands disappeared briefly. My imagination was running wild with where that hand had gone. I was doing my best to keep my gaze trained on the screen in front of me. Trying to convince my mind to stay there was another story.

"I wasn't asking for your hands, but I'd be happy to oblige them."

It was only when Jasper's fingers closed around mine that I realized I had been moving my hand away from the keyboard. And toward him. Keeping my eyes on the words in front of me, I let Jasper guide my hand toward the back of the chair. My fingertips brushed against the slippery fabric of his gym shorts. The touch was brief but long enough for me to realize that things were getting hard underneath.

"And you can call me 'sir' again."

It wasn't easy to type with only my left hand, but my right hand had officially left work for the day.

"_It looks like you brought me more than one package today… sir."_

Jasper lifted ever so slightly into my hand that was unconsciously wrapping around his thick length. The hardness of the General was now prominent and hot.

"You could say one package chose the other. Blue silk lingerie is really more of purchase one makes with their gut."

"_Feels more like a decision made by your cock. Your big, hot cock."_

My typing was getting sloppy. I was about to abandon the keyboard altogether when Jasper pulled away from my right hand. A gentle grip on my wrist returned my hand to the desk. The heat that pulsed through my hand was in stark contrast to the almost frigid temperature of my left, typing hand. Before I could think about warming it up, Jasper leaned forward to click on the mouse.

The wild west document was brought forward and so was Jasper's tongue. The warm slip of his tongue against my earlobe did nothing to help refocus my brain.

"I don't know what I would do without the kindness of strangers like you, ma'am."

Another light lick and I was quickly trying to decide between typing the heroine's line and begging Jasper to suck on my earlobe. At least if I kept typing I could convince myself that I was working. Typing it was.

"_I'd like to think our status as strangers will be short-lived."_

"Are you this welcoming to everyone you meet?"

"_I like to think I'm a hospitable woman."_

"A beautiful woman too. Ma'am."

"_And are you always so polite to strangers?"_

"I can't say we're strangers anymore, ma'am."

"_Why is that?"_

"Well you've got one hand wrapped around my cock and I'm about to return the favor to your tits."

_Holy shit! I do have my hand wrapped around his cock!_

Somehow my left hand had wandered away from the keyboard. While I was far more capable typing with my right, I was surprised to find out just how dexterous my left hand could be. Perhaps it just needed the proper motivation. And right now that motivation was long and hard and hot and being thrust slowly into my palm.

True to his word, Jasper's hand left my desk and one of them dipped below my t-shirt. Brushing lightly against my ribcage, he traveled upward until he was rubbing his finger underneath the swell of my breast. If he was pressing his cock into my hand, then I was shamelessly thrusting my tits into his.

"For a professional, I would've thought you'd talk more. Or does dirty talk cost extra?"

How the hell could he keep going? I was shifting in my chair, trying to ease the throbbing between my legs. It was easy to imagine him sliding that long cock deep into my aching pussy and it had nothing to do with my contract, my next book or my paycheck. I was bargaining with my brain for each word that was slowly being typed out.

"_For you, it's on the house."_

While he had been speaking low already, Jasper's voice took on a slight rasp as his other hand started traveling underneath my shirt.

"Can it be on my cock instead?"

A click, the faint creak of a door, followed by a light slam sounded in the distance.

"Bella? Jasper? You guys here? Bella?"

I pulled my hand just far enough away from Jasper before freezing. Jasper chose to still with his hands wrapped around my breasts.

"Guys? Hello?"

"Fuck, it's Alice!" I harshly whispered before frantically batting Jasper's hands away from under my shirt. His hands were slow to react as I quickly whirled around to face him.

"Jasper!" I pushed him back with more force than was necessary and he hit the bed with a loud creak. My bedroom door opened at the same time and Alice slowly peeked in.

"Guys? Uh, what's going on?"

As she looked from me to Jasper I realized how it must look to her. After all, Jasper was half-naked on my bed.

"I mean, he's always naked, Alice! Half-naked, he's always half-naked, right?" I realized I was close to screaming at her. And she hadn't actually said anything about him being naked.

Lifting an eyebrow she looked to me again. "Sure, he is always half-naked. What're you guys doing?"

"Nothing. Hanging out. I'm writing and he's hanging out. Just laying around. Him, laying around. Me, working. Writing. The cancer novel. Nothing else." I slammed my laptop closed and for the first time Jasper spoke.

"Did you save that, Bella?" He sat up with a worried look on his face.

"All up here, Jas, all up here." I tapped the side of head frantically. "It's all good."

"O-kay," Alice spoke slowly.

"You're back early, Alice. How's the club?" Jasper turned his attention to Alice.

"Actually that's why I'm here. How's the nose?"

Jasper rose from my bed and threw a wide grin Alice's way. "Ready for duty. Am I re-enlisted?"

"Um, yeah. Can you tell the General to stand down?"

Why was I the one blushing? Jasper only smiled wider and took a step toward my bathroom.

"Nah. I'll just whack off in Bella's shower," Jasper pushed his gym shorts down. "You don't mind, do you, Bella?" He waited until my eyes made their way up to his before grinning widely.

"Uh, nope. No, it's all good. Whack away." The hand that had been tapping the side of my head earlier was now waving frantically toward the bathroom. What was wrong with me?

Jasper turned and I couldn't help but stare at his tight ass as he slowly made his way into the bathroom. He left the door open an inch when I heard the water turn on.

"Does he often shower in here? With the door open?" Alice asked.

"There's a first time for everything," I murmured before plopping down heavily in my chair. I looked up at Alice who was still leaning in the doorway, a curious look on her face. "So why do you need Jasper back at the club so soon?"

"Just some new choreography. Some of the guys aren't getting it and Jasper's a good leader. I don't know what it is about him but he just seems to draw people in, you know? They want to follow him. Weird."

"Hmm, weird." I nodded in agreement and an odd silence fell over us. We could hear the water running in the background and Jasper whistling loudly. Alice pushed off the doorjamb with a sigh.

"Well, let Jasper know I'm waiting when he gets out, okay?"

"Sure thing." I swiveled around to face my desk, popping the laptop open again.

"Oh, um, Bella?"

"Yeah?"

"First time fucking Jasper?" Her question was low and her face serious. The blush that spread across mine was traitorous. Or would be if we'd had another ten minutes.

"Uh no, Alice. Nothing like that at all."

She nodded and set her mouth in a firm line. Tapping lightly on my desktop, she pointed toward the computer screen.

"Good. Because it looks like you've got your hands full with Edgar anyway."

I laughed nervously as she walked away. Turning back to the screen I glanced over the words Jasper and I had just spoken to each other. With that tall, blond creature of sex living on my couch, things were only going to get harder.

_Harder than that magnificent cock of his. _

I thought my itch had been scratched when I stumbled across my Fantasy Man. But after only a little more than a week I was ready to jump the first guy who offered himself to me. Perhaps it was time to get Fantasy Man's number from Alice. Jasper was just a little too close to home. Literally.

My head was spinning. I had a hot blond in my shower, a pissed brunette in the kitchen, a red head in my dreams and two more living in my computer. The question was: who did I want to avoid, who did I want to seek out and who did I just want to fuck?

**END A/N: So she thinks her Fantasy Man is Emmett? Hmm... how will that work out?**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Time to pay a visit to Bella's editor, Liz Masen. But first, a little smuttake from Bella's soon-to-be-published Jessica Stanley novel!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own it, but I like to have fun with it!**

Jessica was standing on a giant precipice and had a decision to make.

Repel or climb? The precipice was actually the tallest building in the downtown area of the Middle Eastern city she had flown into mere hours ago.

It also happened to house the most rare coin in the world. Dating back centuries, it was made of gold and encrusted with rubies and diamonds. The imbedded gemstones gave the medal circle an indescribable color depending on the light. It had been on display as part of an exhibit on rare coins of the world and was scheduled to leave for Bangkok in the morning. If Jessica was successful in her mission, it would never make it there.

The super secret United States government organization that Jessica worked for was hardly in the business of stealing rare artifacts. But if stealing something was the only means to protect it, then they would do just that. The coin had been under close surveillance with each museum transfer but when word got out that the Denali Clan was interested intercepting it on the way to Thailand, Jessica was immediately deployed.

Bracing herself in the warm wind that blustered around, Jessica ran through her knowledge of the Denali Clan. It was extensive. After all, the Denali's had tried to recruit Jessica at the same time the government came calling. It was instinct alone that kept Jessica from pursuing employment with the infamous sisters. Tanya, Irina and Kate were notorious underground criminals that had retired from active duty years ago. Now they ran their impressive organization from an unknown location, sending operatives out into the field. Despite their desire to add Jessica's name to their ranks, the Denali's were known for hiring male spies. Attractive male spies. Jessica had had the pleasure of meeting more than one of them and couldn't help but wonder from time to time what it would have been like to have been coworkers with these men. Of course it would have meant being on the wrong side in the battle against evil, so it wasn't a thought she often entertained for long.

Jessica turned her attention back to her current mission. The building she was currently atop was an extravagant creation with a completely glass domed ceiling. Beautiful, but easier to penetrate. Unfortunately for Jessica, someone had already done just that. She hadn't been worried about getting past the state of the art electronic security system that turned the glass dome into a near deathtrap, after all she had created it. But from the looks of it, someone had already disarmed it.

Climb, it was.

Repelling would have been far more noticeable to whoever was already inside the building. Whereas Jessica's expertise in rock climbing would serve her best as she could stick to the shadows along the walls. Slipping between two loose panes of glass that were likely where her nemesis had entered, Jessica found a small foothold. Using the nearly invisible seams in the wall to guide her fingers to a dark corner of the room, Jessica began her descent.

About halfway down the tall wall, Jessica began moving laterally. Traveling along the wall was an easy decision to make. Not only was she incredibly dexterous but it was easier to move slowly when scaling a wall. All of the rooms were equipped with heat sensors and although Jessica was wearing a state of the art cat suit that kept her body temperature within the allotted one hundred degrees, it was easy to sound the alarm if one moved too fast. Her slow and steady climbing along the wall kept her invisible to every security measure in place.

The Denali spies usually worked alone so at least Jessica was assured a fair fight. She could only hope he hadn't gotten too far into the building. Never one to back down from a fight, it was a chase that made things harder. At least within the confines of the museum, Jessica could be assured a pretty swift success. If this mission took to the streets, it would get a whole lot more complicated.

The late hour and activation of the thermal security system were both good indicators that any museum personnel would've already gone home. Jessica never liked civilians getting hurt or worse, getting in the way. If this battle could be kept to two spies, it would work out better all around.

Jessica had worked her way around the perimeter walls and was now close enough to the centrally located vault that she was forced to the ground. Taking slow and steady steps she quickly disarmed a few easy security doors. This wasn't good. The Denali spy would've had to come this way and it was long enough ago that the alarms had reset. Resisting the urge to speed up too much, Jessica just hoped the next roadblock would still be open. At least she could be gaining on him.

The special vault that had been constructed as a holding area for the rare coin was a small room with the most intense security measures. Jessica took it as a stroke of good luck that the impenetrable steel bars were still open when she reached it. Moving at the fastest speed the temperature sensitive alarm allowed, she barely made it through the door in time. She was trying her best to keep her pace down but also remain stealthy that the razor-sharp edges on the steel bars caught her by surprise. Keeping calm, as only a top spy would do, Jessica made it into the tiny vault with her invisibility intact, but not her suit. There was a large rip in the protective fabric that ran from the seam along her inner thigh to her outer left hip. The material was supposed to fuse back together with a little pressure but as Jessica tried to force the torn edges back together she realized the steel would have negated the fabric's self-restoring qualities. Of course. Only the best security measures.

One hand holding the gap closed, Jessica spread her body against the wall and took in her surroundings. The room was dark and hot and quite small. The wall directly across from her housed a small square door that should be the last obstacle to reaching the coin. But it was already gone. The tiny door was open a crack and Jessica knew that if the alarms were resetting it was only a matter of seconds before the one on that door would too. And if it were left open, she would be caught without anything to show for.

With a hand gripping her leg, Jessica's movement was awkward. She had to be more mindful than ever of the temperature sensitivity of the room. She was no longer as protected as she had been and despite her incredible training, there was little she could do to regulate her body heat in a stressful situation. Not having seen the other spy on her way in, Jessica imagined he was either in the room or nearby. Inches away from the missing coin's protective box, Jessica was hit with a blast of frigid air. The type that accompanied the closing of a high pressure door. From above.

A swift kick to the safety box door quickly closed it. Then ducking swiftly, Jessica narrowly missed getting clipped in the head by a steel-toed boot. The crouching position she sunk into provided enough momentum for her to spring back up and strike the mysterious figure that fell down from the ceiling. The blow she delivered with her hand merely glanced off of her attacker's face.

Now standing, Jessica was in a less than ideal position as the black clad person sunk low to the ground and kicked out a sweeping leg across the floor. Jumping a little too slowly, Jessica's heel was caught and she fell flat on her back. The air that was forced out of her lungs was not allowed back in as a heavy forearm fell against her throat, crushing her windpipe. Jerking her knee up out of sheer instinct, Jessica connected with something important to the aggressor. His groin.

The low groan that tumbled across his lips was warm on Jessica's face and his grip loosened just enough for her to suck that same heated air into her chest. Gasping deeply, Jessica used her crooked leg to push the attacker back with her foot. He was easily knocked over, still reeling from the blow to his crotch.

Quickly taking stock of the conditions in the small room they occupied, Jessica was relieved to find that their scuffle did little to set off the alarms. Apparently both of their temperatures were still within the appropriate range. Looking up, she realized the alarms hadn't been on during the fight. The airshaft directly overhead had been the other spy's plan of escape but it looked like he moved a little too slowly. The small cutout in the ceiling was sealed back up as the alarm reset.

_Looks like someone's not very fast when it comes to picking locks._

The man on the ground seemed to be recovering and Jessica could sense the growing tension in his body as he planned a counter attack. Before he could strike, Jessica spoke in a rushed whisper.

"Stop. The motion detectors."

Now that the system had reset, they had to move very carefully. It was likely that the alarms in the room had been deactivated until the pressurized air from the closing vent sealed the escape route. Now that the room was still and quiet, they had to be more careful. In the darkness of the room, Jessica was unable to make out the other spy's face. Until he leaned forward, his face inches from hers. The green of his eyes was striking. Captivating. His lips curled in a sneer although his eyes seemed to be smiling, amused.

"Jessica Stanley. Nice to finally meet you."

His breath was warm again but without the desperate need to get air into her lungs, Jessica was more aware of its intoxicating scent. Peppermint and cloves or something equally enticing that made her want to lean in closer for a taste. Breaking one of her own personal rules, Jessica broke eye contact in a slow blink to regain her composure before answering his smirk with her own.

"Another Denali flunky. As this will be the only time we ever meet…"

"So sure of yourself, are you?"

Our conversation had to be quiet but with our lips just inches apart it was easy to do.

"The Denali's don't like failure."

"What makes you think I'll fail?"

"You already have. Or was this the escape you had in mind?"

"There's more than one way to please a woman."

Jessica quirked an eyebrow, noticing for the first time the spy's golden locks. Lightly waved, they were just long enough to brush against the pale skin of his forehead.

"That's just an expression," he leaned infinitely closer as he winked.

"I'd like to see you please your way out of this room, then."

The spy closed the distance between their lips and Jessica thought briefly of closing her eyes as her lips tingled in anticipation. But his mouth brushed past hers as his hand reached down to the tear in her cat suit. Defensively, Jessica's hand flew to cover his. The heat coming from his hand was understandable under the circumstances. Their body temperature had to be between ninety-nine and one-hundred degrees. It was then that Jessica noticed how cold her skin was. Not dangerously cold. Not severe-loss-of-blood cold. But colder than it should be. The suit. The tear. The blast of cold air. The gaping hole across her thigh was exposing just enough cold skin to cause her to panic. The security system would read the change in temperature in a matter of minutes, if that.

The spy's hand remained on her thigh, pressing not unpleasantly on her cool skin. The heat that Jessica felt rising in her stomach had little to do with trying to regulate her body heat. It was internal and entirely unhelpful in this sort of a situation.

"Of course I didn't count on Little Miss Spy ruining my alternate escape plan."

Yup, definitely a Denali spy. Male, good looking and degrading to women.

"That's a dangerous attitude to have when working for the Denali's, you know."

They may be ruthless but they were all about girl power. Jessica seriously doubted he ever spoke to any of them that way.

"Not if you get the job done."

"I'm afraid that won't be possible this time."

"No? And why's that?" His hand burned on Jessica's leg and she lifted her hand from his to reach toward the seam at her inner thigh.

Pulling sharply on it, Jessica extended the tear up to the crotch of her suit.

"What they fuck-"

_Ooh. Spy Man has a temper._

"Exactly." Jessica returned to his hand and yanked it toward her heated center. She needed that very heat to spread and fast. And she knew one good way to accomplish that.

The look of shock was still plain on the spy's face as Jessica urged his long fingers forward. Wearing this type of a suit didn't allow for panties and it didn't take much pushing before his middle finger had grazed her clit. Biting back a moan, Jessica did the best she could to maintain a professional attitude toward him.

He pressed a slow circle around her clit and brushed his lips against hers again. With purpose this time.

"So what did you have in mind?"

"I need to get my temp up."

"So again, I ask you. What did you have in mind?"

Jessica felt confident his hand would continue working on her wet pussy as she reached forward to slip a crooked finger into his waistband. His hips jerked forward and he glanced down at the hand that was undoing his pants.

"Careful, Spy Boy. We can't move too fast."

The spy smirked and slid forward on the floor, angling his hips closer to hers.

"I never move too fast."

Jessica, on the other hand, moved just fast enough. Pulling his zipper down, the spy's hard cock sprang free.

"Fast recovery," Jessica murmured in approval.

As a result of their proximity, the swollen head of his cock pressed firmly into Jessica's clit. The spy pulled back slightly so he could slip a finger into her warm heat. Jessica rolled her hips into his hand, pulling his long finger deeper into her.

"Little Miss Dirty Spy."

"Dirty talk isn't going to warm me up."

"No? Too bad. It can be a lot of fun."

Luckily the spy had moved his free hand to grasp his cock and line it up with Jessica's entrance. Withdrawing his finger, she moaned briefly before his cock was quickly replacing the missing digit. Long and thick, she stretched to take him all the way in. The pulsing heat of his cock was spreading through her core and she hoped it was warming her skin. He reached a hand up to fondle her tits through the thin cat suit. Jessica's nipples responded immediately and she felt the warmth creep across her chest and up her neck.

The spy slipped his hand around her back, leaning into her. He pulled their bodies closer together and started a slow and steady rhythm. The slow, slipping sound of the spy's heavy cock sliding in and out of Jessica's wet pussy was echoing slightly in the tiny room. Their chests were pressed together and the spy lowered his head to rest on Jessica's shoulder. While her suit was high-necked, his wasn't and the angle gave Jessica ideal access to his neck. The taut muscles that ran under his smooth skin tasted just as she imagined when she darted her tongue out against him. His answering groan was followed by a quick hip thrust, after which they both froze.

The spy moved slowly. Returning a hand to Jessica's exposed thigh, rubbing lightly against her skin. She could feel the warmth spreading and finally could no longer resist the urge to move. Rolling her hips against him, his breath was hot against her shoulder as he moaned into her.

Jessica was relieved that he let her set the pace now. Rolling and rocking her hips in a specific pattern, she knew that control was key. She knew her temperature was rising slowly and while they had to keep their movements to a minimum, she also couldn't let her body heat climb too high. Closing her eyes and fighting the urge to kiss his neck again, Jessica tried to reign in her more primal urges.

The spy's mouth was at Jessica's ear again, breathing heavy and ragged.

"Your safe house or mine?" The masculine timbre to his voice went straight to Jessica's pussy.

Clenching her inner muscles down on his thick cock, Jessica took a slow deep breath. Now that her body temperature was close to where it needed to be, she had to keep it there long enough to locate the coin.

"What makes you think we'll go beyond this room?" Jessica trailed a hand down his back, grabbing his ass in a purely professional search technique. Mostly.

"While this is fun and all, I'd like to hear you scream."

The spy's hands moved down Jessica's body until they were gripping her hips. The angle allowed him to anchor his weight to the floor just below her so he could help maintain their torturously slow pace.

"Pretty confident that would happen, huh?" Nothing on his back or ass as far as Jessica could tell. His suit was just as thin as hers, finding the coin shouldn't be too hard. On to the next location: his chest.

Keeping a hand on his tight ass, Jessica guided him in and out of her. Lifting her other hand from the floor, she was unable to stop herself from running it through his hair. The slightly curled blond hair was just as soft as she had imagined. Her fingernails lightly scraped his scalp and a low moan growled against her neck.

"Hmm… maybe you'd be the one screaming," Jessica couldn't help but taunt.

"Moaning, growling… but trust me, you'll be doing the screaming." The sharp nip of his teeth against Jessica's earlobe jerked her hips forward and the head of his cock slammed into her g-spot.

Jessica's hands flew to his neck, holding tightly to him as the orgasm shot through her. Her ass had lifted off the floor with the force of coming and his hands were now supporting her ass. Clinging to him, his cock bumped against that perfect spot again and she felt the roiling of her orgasm stretch on and on. The inner walls of her pussy stroked tightly down the length of the spy's cock.

He was grunting and growling now, barely keeping his voice low enough to avoid detection. Jessica grappled against the collar of his suit as she slowly came down from the blissful orgasm that had coursed through her body. He didn't need to know she was done and so she allowed her hands to move slowly while still tugging and pulling on his clothes. Her hands at his chest now, she dove lower and lower, still unable to find the coin. She was getting frantic and he was getting close.

If she failed to find the coin before he came, she would miss her opportunity. Surely he was getting suspicious now as she shamelessly frisked him. Reaching a hand into his suit to stroke his chest, she allowed her other hand to slip down to his cock. Her pussy had let up just enough that he was able to slide in and out again. Sliding her hand softly around the base of his cock, she stroked him as he worked back into her.

"I can see why the Denali's hired you."

"My ability to make the competition fall apart around me?" There was a smirk in his voice.

"I wouldn't say that."

"Your pussy might though."

Jessica couldn't help but smile as she slipped her hand from his cock to fondle his balls. The spy lost his composure with a thick groan as she tugged first on one than the other.

"I will say that you have some big assets."

"Just big?" The slow pace must have been killing him but Jessica had to give him credit. He was thrusting a little more forcefully but still slowly as he struggled to reach his peak.

"And thick. Long."

The dirty talk was doing him in, his neck was slick with sweat. Jessica wasn't concerned for her body temperature anymore, but his was a different story. If she didn't find that coin fast, she'd not only get caught but she'd also fail her mission. Spreading her fingers wide to roll his balls around in her palm, she felt it. Success!

Knowing the rare and precious coin was only slightly larger than a United States dime, Jessica figured it'd be hidden somewhere discreet. Tucked just behind his balls, firmly against his skin was the coin. Jessica knew the magic of this spot of skin that lay between the balls and his small tight hole. Pressing her finger into him, she felt him start to come apart. The motion had dropped the coin into her hand but the spy hadn't noticed. His mouth was open and wet against her neck and she quickly drew her hand up. Wrapping her arm tightly around his shoulders, she pulled his mouth closer into her neck. The move allowed her to slip the coin into her mouth and quickly under her tongue.

The spy's kisses turned to exhausted panting as he slowly lowered her to the floor.

"You've got some real muscle there, Spy Boy."

The spy finally pulled back and his glowing green eyes met Jessica's.

"If you think that's impressive, you should see what this one can do." The spy thrust his tongue into Jessica's mouth.

It was forceful and sweet, sweeping through her mouth. Defensively, she sucked on his strong tongue and nipped at his lips. She had to keep him away from that coin. He rolled his tongue around hers before slowly pulling almost out of her mouth. Repeating the move again and again, Jessica found herself getting lightheaded. He was a really good kisser. His lips were firm but plump and when he sucked her bottom lip between his teeth, she thought she might just come again. The spy's tongue took another tour of Jessica's mouth before he finally pulled back. Jessica tried frantically to gather her thoughts, her plan of action. It was then that she saw the spy's eyes shift. Looking behind her before returning to her face, Jessica knew something was up.

"If you'd like to see what my tongue can do in other places, look me up. You're a good spy, I'm sure you can find me."

The spy winked at he same time that he withdrew his cock from her. Moving slowly but efficiently, he was tucked back in and slipping past Jessica in a matter of seconds. A quick glance behind her revealed that the steel bars had opened. Looks like Spy Boy had back up. The Denali's must have remotely accessed the security system.

The spy was through the bars and they were closing again before Jessica could even move. The overhead vent had been her original escape route and now that the spy had gone in the other direction, she was clear to follow her first plan. Slowly rising to her feet, Jessica began to assess the access panel when she realized it was missing.

The coin.

Spy Boy had been doing his own cavity search. From beyond the steel bars behind her, Jessica heard a faint laugh. Glancing back into the darkness beyond the steel bars, Jessica could make out just one thing. A dazzling mix of ruby, gold and emerald shining back at her.

-0-0-0-

BPOV

"Bella!" It was a high pitched squeal followed by a flurry of giggles and the usual bone crushing hug. "Were you checking up on me?"

A wild gesture to the stack of papers on the desk allowed me to breathe again.

"Do you doubt me?"

Liz Masen was nothing if not predictable. In person visits to my editor were far and few between. But our frequent phone and email conversations bore the same manic tone. As brilliant an editor as she was, Liz could be a handful.

Her quick pout was gone and the arm was back around my torso.

"It's so good to see you! It's about time you move to the right coast. Now I just have to get you to make the leap to New York City!"

"I can write in the middle of the ocean if I want to, Liz. You know that."

"I know that but I don't have to like it. It's so much more fun when I get to see you though!"

I'd managed to suck in a lungful of air before the squeezing resumed. And just as quickly as I was locked in her boa constrictor hug, I was free again.

Grabbing the stack of papers from her desk, Liz flipped her thumb quickly through the pile.

"But I'll cosign on your submarine if the books are as hot as this."

"Thanks, Liz." I collapsed onto her too long couch and curled my legs up underneath me. "Jessica Stanley had a great run."

"Are you so sure she's hit the finish line? Maybe she's got a few miles left. Make it a marathon instead of a 5k?"

"You know she's not a professional runner, right?" I teased.

Liz answered me with a sharp smirk.

"Anyway, it has been a marathon. Half a dozen marathons. Jessica Stanley is officially retired."

Liz dropped the towering stack that was my book onto her desk. Retreating behind it, Liz took a seat in the dark oak chair. It was only then that she looked like the high-powered editor that she was. The sleek auburn ponytail and stylishly bespectacled hazel eyes seemed a natural fit. Her long, lean pantsuit completed the power player look. Until she opened her mouth.

"Kool-aid?"

"Um, no thanks," I laughed lightly.

Liz shrugged and dumped the red packet of sugar into her water. I was very familiar with Liz's mantra that "Coffee is unreliable. Pure sugar is the way to go." I was fairly certain that if I moved to New York, I would be coerced into a slumber party at Liz's condo.

It was a fear of mine that Alice and Liz would eventually meet up. If that were to happen, the duo would be unstoppable. They were both married to their work but just as passionate about having fun. I would likely never write another word again.

"How's Alice?"

I often forgot that Liz seemed to share the same mind-reading ability as Alice. While I'd managed this far to keep them apart physically, they had formed a bond via phone.

"Good. Busy."

"You?"

"Me what?"

"Are you busy? You know…" Liz tapped a finger on the paper stack that was my book.

I swallowed a groan. Liz leaned forward.

"What was that?"

"That was an inward groan, Liz. Is the ink even dry on those pages yet?"

"You know, that's the wonderful thing about eBooks… no ink. I'm just looking out for you. You've got one book left on your current contract. An unwritten book that you've already been paid quite well for."

"I also have another twelve months before the first draft of that book is due. I would think threats are beneath you, Liz."

"They are, Bella! They are! And I hate doing it, I'm just getting a little pressure from above."

Liz scooped a large glass dish up from her desk and practically skipped across the room. Throwing herself on the couch next to me, she held out the bowl of all red M&Ms as a peace offering.

My own personal mantra is that chocolate can improve just about anything, so I grabbed a handful.

"Pressure about what? I've made this house a lot of money."

"But now that Jessica Stanley's decoder ring has been hung up, the suits can't help but wonder what our contract is going to deliver."

I practically choked on the handful of chocolate I was supposed to be chewing. Turns out it was more than just M&Ms. They were there alright, but so were red Skittles, hot tamales, Swedish fish and just about any other candy you can think of that's red. Just a bowlful of red sugar. The combination was not pleasant. Liz didn't seem to have the same problem I did as she scooped a fistful into her mouth, chewing thoughtfully.

"Ahh, so the cancer book is what this is about."

"Bella, you can't go from hot smut to cancer kid! Your readers will crucify you."

"My readers are women, mothers. I think they can go without the pulsing cocks and mind-blowing orgasms for one book."

Depositing the bowl of sugar on the coffee table, Liz took one of my hands in hers.

"Bella, no woman is going to choose tears over sex. Tears after sex is a totally different story, but not in your books. Everyone always gets off. If someone dies it's because they were trying to keep the hot girl and hot guy away from one another. They were interrupting the smut. If you were in one of your novels, you would likely get hit by a bus on your way out today."

"Not me, Liz. Renee Dwyer would. I'm Bella Swan."

She dropped my hand but didn't lift her eyes to meet mine.

"Speaking of which…"

"No, no, no. Not the 'coming out' thing again. No way, Liz. I am not interested."

"Bella, Bella, Bella! Think about it for a second. The reveal would be spectacular. Kind of like the secret identity behind super-hot spy Jessica Stanley coming forward. We're talking nationwide tour, book signings, porn conventions-"

"I have never met an author who enjoys book signings- Wait a minute. Did you say 'porn conventions?'"

"Vivid Entertainment is still interested in buying the rights to-"

"No's all around, Liz. No to coming out. No to Vivid. No, no, no."

"You're pure evil, Bella. I just read your manuscript and Jessica's all 'yes, yes, yes!' and I can't get a single one from you?"

Keeping my lips pressed firmly together, I deliberately shook my head. Her sigh was exaggerated as she threw her head against the back of the couch dramatically.

"I'll do the promo stuff for the cancer book. You know that. I think it's sending mixed signals to come out as this smut writer, as you put it. And then try to push a serious novel. You're right about one thing. My fan base will not be interested in that book."

"All the more reason to come out! If you can get even a fraction of your readers to buy the new book, it would be far more successful than if you publish as a virtual unknown. Hell, Bella, I don't even know if the book will be any good. Remember? I don't have an outline or anything."

The contact headache from being in close proximity to Liz Masen was setting in.

"Okay, help me out here, Liz."

"Anything for you, Bella!"

I narrowed my eyes at her. Our current conversation was proof that that statement was untrue.

"So you don't want me to write the cancer book. But you do if I 'come out.'" I actually used air quotes this time.

"In an ideal world?"

"Sure, why not?" I threw up my hands.

"I would get at least one more Jessica Stanley novel before you move onto an equally hot and popular heroine who likes to sex it up just as much. And we'd push the last Stanley book with a worldwide 'coming out' tour," she paused dramatically before concluding. "That's it."

I laughed. "Oh, is that all?"

"I'm nothing if not specific."

"You are certainly not nothing."

"And you love me for it!" Liz had me trapped in another death grip that I managed to extract myself from fairly quickly.

"Can we just talk about that monstrosity on your desk for the time being? You can blackmail and bribe me via text message all you want the second I leave."

"That, I will do." Liz gave me a stern stare before dancing back over to her desk. "Now this," Liz grabbed the loose papers in her hands, "is anything but a monstrosity. Sheer genius, Bella! I totally stroked one out to the last scene."

"Not exactly the comments I was looking for, Liz. But thanks."

"See how much I'll miss Jessica? She's my masturbating buddy!"

A swift change of topic was in order. I really didn't need to know more about my editor's self-pleasuring habits.

"You got all the changes I asked for, right?"

"Yup," Liz raised her eyebrows at me devilishly. "That intern is so not fond of me now."

"You had an intern make the changes?"

"Sure. It wasn't like it was real editing. It was changing Spy Boy's hair from copper to blond. I am curious why you wanted the change though. The copper hair and emerald eyes were hot."

Shrugging, I answered. "I just thought blond was a better fit."

Liz was flipping through the pages again. "True. I mean, really, how many people have copper hair? There's poetic license and then pure fantasy."

"You can say that again." I'm not even sure if I spoke out loud.

"Speaking of," Liz dropped the stack carefully onto her desk before crossing her arms and leveling an intense stare in my direction. "Any fantasies fulfilled at Alice's new club?"

My jaw dropped and I tried to recover before Liz noticed. But nothing ever escaped Liz's attention. Sitting on the edge of her desk, she leaned forward.

"Do tell."

"How do you know what kind of club it is?" I asked, buying myself some time.

"Please, it's Alice. Besides, who doesn't follow her on Twitter?"

_Uh, me._ I thought.

"Looks like some wild opening night. That hot blond who got decked by the other hot blonde was a nice little something-something to look at." Liz was digging.

"Jasper's great. Not just a pretty face. Even with a broken nose." I smiled just thinking about him.

"So Bella, tell me. What color are his eyes?" She placed a pointed finger on the manuscript behind her, her own eyes smiling wide.

**A/N: So... Bella changed the physical description of her Fantasy Man... hmm... I wonder why? Trying to keep Edward all to herself? Well, next chapter she has to share him with us! Thanks for reading!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Thanks, once again, for all the favorites and story alerts and as always... I love the reviews. Good or bad, I appreciate every single one of them! So Bella's got a lot on her mind and has to do a little mental compartmentalization before she can push it aside and focus on the good stuff. That being said, get ready for a big ole fantasy lemon ahead!**

**Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own Twilight... Gangster Edward though? I'll take him any day!**

BPOV

Usually I wasn't much of a masochist, but personal punishment was in order. And right now that punishment took the form of a six foot tall blonde in red flats and a spotless lab coat. The laminated doctor's badge clipped to her pocket bore the same beautiful, but unsmiling face. It was just above bold, black block letters that read: Dr. R. Hale.

Her long legs, unforgiving stride and generally pissy manner had me stumbling over my own feet to keep up with her. This was my fourth day tagging along with Dr. Hale and I think she finally decided I was no worse than an annoying mosquito. I'd pried her with enough questions the first three days, that I figured I'd best keep my mouth shut and just observe today. Perhaps if she forgot I was standing in her shadow, I'd escape the day unscathed.

As I said, Rosalie Hale was my punishment. After giving my editor such a hard time about the cancer kid novel, I decided I should actually do some work on it. The problem was, I had no idea where to begin. I needed some inspiration and my usual methods were not likely to work for this book. But it was more than that. I'd almost jumped Jasper two more times since our "reading" together and I really needed to get out of the apartment. He was almost too irresistible. Alice proved to be an excellent substitute for a cold shower, although I still didn't understand her sudden disapproval of my getting it on with Jasper. She had suggested him in the first place. I could only imagine her reasoning was along the same lines as mine, he lived with us. My usual arrangements allowed for plenty of distance and time apart. Not only did I see Jasper whenever I stopped by the club, but he slept on our couch. Definitely not enough distance.

And then there was the little fact that I'd caved and finally told my editor Liz that I did have an idea for a smut novel simmering in my brain. That one little text resulted in a barrage of voicemails, emails and texts all begging me for an outline, a summary, even just a few clues as to what I was writing and when it would be done. I all but unplugged to avoid asking Alice for Emmett's number. I wanted to be "researching" the smut novel as much as Liz wanted me to. But I'd made such a big deal about the cancer kid novel that I felt like I should make it my priority. Show Liz who was in charge here.

And I was failing miserably. After a day of sulking over my predicament, I did ask Alice for a number. Rosalie Hale's. I had no right to be sulking in the first place. Short of complaining about how tight my diamond shoes were, I was tied up in knots over the most inane problems. Problems like a hot, half-naked guy who was ready and willing to sleep with me. Or an amazing, high paying job as a writer. There was even the Emmett conundrum. Gee, should I get another hot guy's number from my best friend so I could get sexed up? What a slew of problems to have.

So here I was, racing after Rosalie down yet another corridor at Brigham & Women's Hospital, paying my penance. Not really knowing what I was looking for yet, I just did a lot of observing. Taking in the spirit of the kids in treatment and sometimes asking about the medical jargon and details of what they were going through. As much as I tried to pay attention to the kids around me, I couldn't help but spend a portion of my time wondering just how Alice managed to get on good enough terms with Rosalie to have such a favor called in. Both women should be furious with each other. Alice should be pissed about having her star performer's face and her club's opening night almost ruined. And Rosalie should be angry that Alice and I were now putting Jasper up. Not to mention that he was still working at the club. But it seems that as two completely career driven women, they had come to some sort of an understanding. I tried to stay as neutral as possible. Beyond Rosalie greeting me each morning with, "How's dumbfuck?", she didn't mention Jasper and neither did I.

I had originally bargained with myself that three days of torture would suffice for my crappy attitude. A slight burst of creativity the night before was part of my decision behind calling up Rosalie to book another day of rounds with her. I finally started on the novel and felt my main character was coming along. Today could have been spent in front of my computer, but I decided to extend my prison sentence for another reason as well. Despite working late last night and making some great progress, I found myself tortured by a certain green-eyed god as soon as my head hit the pillow. Tortured in the best way. So tortured that I woke up wet and wanting. It took every bit of self control to not stumble out into the living room to let Jasper take care of my throbbing nether regions. That was how I ended up asking Alice for Emmett's number over breakfast.

She seemed pleased with the turn of events. It was no secret that I'd gotten lucky at Inspiration's opening night, but Alice had my mystery man narrowed down to one of her dancers. I had to give her credit for hardly raising an eyebrow as she dug his card out for me. Alice's nonchalance actually had me convinced that I was doing what any other red-blooded female in my situation would do. It was the brief but frantic search through the phone book for his home address that nearly tipped me over the edge. Apparently my subconscious had already decided just calling him for a date was unacceptable and now I was pursuing the stalker route. Thankfully, my technology blackout that was meant to avoid Liz kept me from Googling the hell out of Emmett Cullen.

The last of Rosalie's rounds passed by uneventfully and I found myself just a little too distracted to get much out of the day. A few ideas had sparked in my mind and while I looked forward to getting them down on paper, I had more important things on my mind at the moment. My revised game plan was to slam out the smut novel, get it out of my system, so I could then concentrate fully on Cancer Kid. Part of the reason I was so successful was because of how quickly I wrote. With the proper quantity and quality of research I could have the book done in two weeks. Sure, there would be rewrites but the bulk of the work would be done. And I knew Emmett's quality to be outstanding and his quantity was quite impressive as well. A few errands to run, quick stop by the apartment and I'd be one step closer to getting myself back on track.

-0-0-0-

Emerging from the behemoth that was South Station, I felt like I had crossed into another world. Something far removed from my little space at the base of Beacon Hill. The buildings were taller and newer and gave off high-rise office building vibes. It took me nearly three blocks before I placed the scent that swirled around the streets. It was the water. As soon as it came into view, I was in awe. While it was far from tropical or even beach-like, it was still beautiful.

I had to wonder just how many office buildings there were in this area of Boston and how many were masquerading as something else. Because the tan stone of Emmett's building certainly looked more like an accounting firm or software empire. Turns out it was actually high-priced condos. I had arrived just in time. The sheer volume of street level Dunkin Donuts storefronts had nearly tempted me into a quick shot of caffeine, but I extended my punishment to include my favorite coffee chain. If everything went as planned, I was about to get a whole lot of good things that I didn't deserve.

Emmett's floor was easy to find, being the top one and all. The elevator ride had given me enough time to start panicking. I knew Emmett lived with his brother and that little fact might just be enough to derail my entire plan. Showing up at a virtual stranger's door with a garment bag in one hand and a fedora and a cowboy hat in the other wasn't the most commonplace occurrence. Of course, having had amazing sex twice with said stranger, I figured he might welcome the break from the ordinary. He had proved to be quite resilient last time and I was hoping for at least two rounds this evening. After all, I had a decision to make. Riverboat gangster or bordello cowboy.

There was little pause between my knocking on the door and it swinging open. I expected the look of shock but was pleased to see it morph quickly into something akin to happy lust. And that was something I could deal with. Stepping back into the spacious loft without saying a word, the smile on Emmett's face was greeting enough for me. His green eyes burned more than my memory recalled. I was only a few steps into the apartment before I got a good look at everything below his neck. Despite his loosened tie and half-unbuttoned shirt, he was wearing a black suit jacket and pants that had a thin gray pinstripe design. Behind Emmett was a wall of windows that showcased a brilliant sunset over the water, making his bronzed hair look like sex on fire. The glowing sun also glinted off of a bottle in the corner of my eye. Whiskey.

_Riverboat gangster, it is._

-0-0-0-

Nothing good could come from me being used as a wager. The second I passed from Edgar's lap I knew it wouldn't be long before someone pulled a gun.

Despite the exclusivity of the poker game, there was also a certain level of anonymity. Edgar was known as "The Vampire." His role in supplying the illicit beverages that cluttered the table had garnered the nickname. The rest I could only guess at. There was "The Chief," "The Wolf" and the man whose knee I suddenly found myself perched on, "The Hunter."

Betting me hadn't been Edgar's idea but he knew better than to challenge anyone in this group. I hadn't been paying attention to the game or even the sweaty hand sliding up my leg. The sudden loud crack could have been a bottle breaking or a gun firing. The table flipped, sending cards flying everywhere. I was pulled to my feet and held tight in an unfamiliar grip. The Hunter.

I could see Edgar just on the other side of the overturned table. His gun was drawn. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the gray steel of The Hunter's gun. It's end wavered between me and Edgar.

"The hand's over. I'll need my wager back." Edgar's voice was even and smooth beneath his hard stare.

"I was winning." The voice was close to my ear, making me shiver uncomfortably.

"The others backed out. It's a draw."

Only now did I realize that the other two men were gone. Something cold and hard traced a light line along my neck. It wasn't the gun but The Hunter's nose. I almost preferred the gun.

"I haven't had a chance to enjoy my prize." His mock whine was grating.

"Not yours to enjoy."

"What's a little sharing between friends?"

The answering blast from Edgar's gun was deafening. I instinctively ducked to the side, using the table as a shield. The shot missed The Hunter, but he dodged away from me to escape the bullet. I was just steps closer to Edgar and it took him just a few seconds to grab my wrist and force me behind him. Keeping his eyes and gun trained on The Hunter, he obviously had him shaken.

More shots were fired but from my crouched stance behind Edgar, I couldn't see much. More cards flying and something else. It looked like cards or paper… yes, it was paper. Money. Of course the piles that had been set out on the table were now swirling around the air too. Edgar's grip tightened on me but he remained standing tall. Clutching at whatever part of his pinstripe suit I could get a hold on, I wanted to get even closer. He was my protection, my savior. And I didn't feel safe unless I had a hand on him.

Just as quickly as the fight had started, it was over. Edgar spun me around, holding tight to my upper arms. From what little I could see of the room behind him, it was in shambles. The Hunter was gone and cards and money still floated in the air like unspoken words. Edgar's eyes burned into mine, his fingers digging deeper into my skin. Pressing tightly against his body, I felt my face flush when I came in contact with his hardness. I was quickly unraveling. The parts of my body that weren't still frigid with fear were now trembling with want. Cupping my chin in one rough hand, Edgar leaned in to kiss me.

"You're mine." The growl came at the same time that he pressed his mouth to mine.

Forcing my lips apart with his hot tongue, I felt the tightened coils of my belly rapidly unwinding. Clutching at his collar, his neck, his hair, I was anxious to hold tight to him. I never wanted to let him go. The force of the kiss was making my lips hurt and my chest throbbed in its need to get more air. But I didn't want to let go of him.

He finally broke out kiss and pushed me back at an arm's length. I whimpered at the loss of his body heat against mine. Glancing over my shaking form, he slowly shook his head and spoke through clenched teeth.

"That bastard messed with the wrong man."

I had no idea what he was referring to until I looked down. My dress was ripped across the bodice. It was beyond repair. The emerald green dress that cost more than I could afford had been purchased on a whim. The whim was that it reminded me of Edgar's eyes when I saw it in the store window. The short fringe hung in an uneven line across my upper thighs and my breasts were barely contained by the remainder of fabric covering my torso.

But I didn't care about the dress right now. I needed Edgar and I needed him now. Grabbing the labels of his suit jacket, I forced him to take me back into his arms. My move took him by surprise and he swung me in his arms, trying to find his footing. Suddenly my back was pressed up against the crooked top of the card table. Edgar took advantage of the support behind me now and attacked my mouth again. A loud rip registered vaguely in the back of my brain as the rest of my dress being torn apart. Edgar's large hands made fast work of the fabric, freeing me of what little there was left. Once the dress was gone, his hands traveled to my tits, anxiously flicking my nipples with his thumbs. Moaning into his mouth, I could feel the trembling come back into my body.

He pushed hard and had the table upright again, with me laying on top. Scattered cards and dollar bills adorned the table and stuck to my sweaty skin. The wide overhead fan was still whirling plenty of paper around the room and Edgar's eyes filled with lust as he peeled a dollar from my shoulder.

"You look good in money." The rasp in his voice was irresistible. I attacked his mouth again.

Making quick work of the zipper on his pants, I tugged his hard cock free from them. Hissing lowly, he kissed down to my tits and sharply bit on my hard nipples. I felt his hand graze my wet pussy and I spread my legs wider for him. My knee hit something hard and I glanced to see the overturned whiskey bottle on the table. An inch of liquid rolled around the bottom of the glass and quickly grabbed it.

Edgar pulled back slightly to drag my legs to the edge of the table. Sucking his wet fingers into his mouth, he watched in awe as I tipped the whiskey bottle over my flush skin.

"How do I look in whiskey?" I barely got the words out before his tongue was all over me.

Lapping up the alcohol as it streamed between my tits, down my sides, across my collar bone. Retrieving the bottle from my hand, he pulled back again. Pouring the rest of the whiskey a bit lower this time, I felt the sting of it on my throbbing pussy. Edgar's mouth was there immediately. Soft, strong strokes of his tongue dragging the burning whiskey from my skin. Open mouthed kisses followed before he bit lightly down on my clit. Between the burning whiskey and his burning tongue I came apart. Screaming loudly, I gripped his hair and thrust my hips toward him. Shivering beneath him, he sucked and licked until I felt the trembling cease.

Glancing up at me from under hooded eyelids, Edgar licked his lips eagerly.

"You fucking taste better than whiskey."

Another long, slow lick with his talented tongue and I felt myself shiver again. He continued dragging his tongue up my body, dipping briefly into my belly button before continuing up. Quick circles around my nipples and nibbling on my neck before he was finally in my mouth again. His hands settled on my hips and I waited anxiously. Finally, I felt the head of his hard cock pressing against my wet folds.

Dipping in ever so slightly with each thrust of his tongue into my mouth was a heavenly kind of torture. I tried to push my hips toward his, but he was in charge, he was setting the pace. After several more minutes of the most grueling pace, Edgar surprised me by suddenly impaling me thoroughly on his hard cock. Stretching to take him in, I could feel his thick, pulsing cock as it dragged against my inner walls. The sensation was beyond words.

Dropping my head back onto the table, I stretched my hands out to grasp at the money that was strewn about. Edgar's hands found mine and we clutched the bills between our fists as he moved faster and faster. With the hilt of each thrust I felt my breath escape. The breaths became pants and soon whimpers. Edgar grunted and groaned, rocked his hips a little each time he entered me. The head of his glorious cock hitting me in all the right places.

**END A/N: The good news is, if you hate the fantasy lemons and want to read the real deal of what goes down with Edward and Bella... next chapter is Edward's POV and he's not done with her yet! Thanks for reading!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the favorites and alerts... glad you guys are reading and enjoying it!**

**How 'bout a little Edward POV... and a real lemon while we're at it. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. :(**

EPOV

Lying in my bed, I was drenched in sweat and the smell of sex. Ironically, it wasn't much different than how I'd woken up that morning.

-0-0-0-

It was the second morning in as many weeks that I had jerked off in the shower. To the memory of my Mystery Woman, yet again. It had been ridiculous of me to be pissed off at her for getting off and moving on at the club. After all, I'd been known to do that at least a handful of times. And our angry fuck at the hospital didn't do anything to ease my temper. Instead of staying angry at her I just ended being mad at myself. Why the hell didn't I get her name and number?

Wasn't it every guy's dream to find a woman who was uninterested in a relationship beyond hot sex? I may not have articulated that exact quest before, but it seemed pretty damn appealing all wrapped up in blue mini-skirts and big brown eyes.

I wanted to see her again. I wanted to do a whole lot more than see her.

And there it was. I was hard again.

I gave little care to be discreet as I adjusted myself. After all, I was alone in my own kitchen.

"Ahem." The throat clearing came from behind me.

_Damn it. I was almost alone. Why the hell did I live with my brother anyway?_

"Morning, Em." I turned back to my bowl of cereal without looking at him. He poured a glass of orange juice and sat down across the table from me. Keeping my eyes trained on the bowl in front of me, I waited for it.

_Let the ribbing commence, _I thought, cringing a little.

I finally chanced looking at him. His gaze was unfocused but when he saw me looking, he settled on my face for a minute.

"Just, you know… keep it to the shower. 'Kay?"

Huh. Not the usual Emmett response. Although, come to think of it, it was the usual Emmett response as of late. Ever since Alice's club opening he hadn't been himself. Quiet and introspective, almost. It might be a nice chance if it wasn't so unsettling.

"Maybe you could lend me 'Confederate Jizz'…" I winked but noticed that Emmett wasn't looking at me but through me once again.

"Sure."

Yup, something was definitely wrong. Emmett would never part with his favorite porno. It was his joint birthday gift to both of us when we turned fourteen. He thought it was a nice welcome to manhood. Needless to say, it spent a lot more time in his room than mine. Of course, that black VHS tape broke before we even graduated high school. But with the dawn of the internet, Emmett spent days scouring EBay to find a new version on DVD. I was pretty sure he bought two, but he'd never offered to share. Until now.

As close as Emmett and I were as twins, it wasn't our thing to talk it out. I figured if Emmett had something to say, he'd talk about it when he was ready. That and I had my own petty problems to deal with. Not only was I whacking off in the shower but I was having wet dreams again. Okay, so it was only one, but that was enough. I was undecided as to if I should try to track down my Mystery Woman or just go for a more convenient lay.

I figured Mystery Woman would be easiest enough to find. After all, she worked at Alice's club. I was pretty sure just one quick phone call and Alice would email me her roster of dancers, photos and all. But I didn't really want to use my business contact for pleasure. There was something kind of bottom-feeder about it. If Emmett were up and functioning, I would not have thought twice about setting him on the task. And Alice would expect it from him. As far as she knew, I was nothing but professional. And I planned to keep it that way.

Convenience, on the other hand, was still at least a day away. Heidi was always my top pick when putting together a production team and it had everything to do with her being a great producer. She was competent, reliable, hard-working and almost always came in under budget. Work stuff aside, she was hot and recently made available. Having worked together on and off over the last decade, Heidi and I'd had more than one night of fun. Our business relationship continued with great success even after she married some self-absorbed European director. But their marriage slowly dissolved and finally ended a couple of months ago. If nothing else, Heidi would likely be up for a good time in the sack. She might just be the scratch to my itch.

I drained my cereal bowl of milk and dropped it into the dishwasher. Emmett was slowly nursing his orange juice as I grabbed my briefcase and keys. Tapping my car key anxiously on the table, I waited until he looked up.

"Riding in with me?"

"Nah," he threw back the rest of his juice. "Promised Alice I'd stop by the hospital this morning."

"Uh huh. Alright. I'll see you in the office later then."

Emmett absently waved his hand at me.

Riding the elevator down to the lobby, I had to wonder just how many more days of damage control Emmett would be doing for Alice. Sure, Jasper had been hit pretty good - hell, my face had just now finally healed - but I was pretty sure everything had been wrapped up on opening night. And that was nearly two weeks ago. I had to wonder if Emmett's mood didn't have something to do with a certain Dr. Ice Cold Bitch.

-0-0-0-

My work day had been productive if uneventful. Whether it was Dr. Bitch or our full client list that occupied Emmett, I didn't see him all day. My suspicions lay with the doctor because the apartment was empty when I got home. It looked like Emmett was putting in a little overtime.

Work waited on my laptop but I was tired of stretching a day at the office into a night at home. I wondered again if Heidi was in town yet. I wasn't above a booty call. Or stealing Emmett's beloved porno.

As I weighed my options I removed my tie and opened the liquor cabinet. Either choice went well with whiskey. My ruminations had managed to unfasten three buttons when there was a knock on the door.

_Emmett- _

I opened the door, about to give Emmett an earful about losing his keys again when I saw the slim brunette standing in the hallway.

_-better be working really late,_ I quickly changed my train of thought.

A smile grew out of the surprise on my face and I stepped back, welcoming the Mystery Woman into my apartment. And hopefully into my bed.

My eyes roamed her familiar curves and finally made their way back up to her face. It looked like she had been doing the same thing to me. I vaguely noticed the items she was carrying. It looked like a garment bag and a couple of hats.

_What the hell-_

Before I could say anything she had wrapped a tiny hand around the neck of the whiskey bottle. The strange assortment of things fell from her hand to the floor. Her hot little palm was suddenly pressed against the open flaps of my shirt, searing into the skin of my chest. My heart beat wildly into her hand. Realizing she probably wanted to get this party horizontal, I stumbled backward in the direction of my room.

The curl of her lovely lips was pure sex and I found myself hoping for all sorts of dirty things to come from that mouth. Biting my skin, sucking my cock, and all the filthy things she wanted to do to me. Instead the words she spoke were quiet and almost indecipherable. Something about a riverboat.

-0-0-0-

I was impressed that I'd retained memory of the most mundane details of my day before the Mystery Woman showed up. I was sure the mind-blowing sex we'd just had would have killed a few million brain cells or so. It definitely destroyed the designer sheets I'd had on my bed. My eyes were closed as I willed my breathing to return to a steady pace. I could feel her doing the same. At least she was still here.

I wasn't a huge cuddler but I didn't want her out of my bed just yet either. Our fingertips were lightly touching, a side effect of where I fell when I finally rolled off of her sweating body. Sweaty and sticky. I was pretty sure I'd missed some of the whiskey.

I'd meant it when I said that she tasted better than whiskey. Actually, I think I said she fucking tasted better than whiskey, but it was true either way. The oaky perfume I usually associated with whiskey had become something truly intoxicating when it mixed with her skin. And right now it was still rolling off of her in waves. The sweet fragrance was earthy and floral at the same time as it settled on the scent of our combined orgasms.

The groan that escaped my throat was not completely unbidden as I felt my cock stir. Not wanting to lose what little contact we still had, I left my hand next to hers. It was my other one that I chose to move down to adjust my cock as my still-pounding heart pumped all of my blood south. The adjustment became more of a stroking, as my cock fully reawakened. The only other stirring I was aware of was that of the Mystery Woman laying next to me. I could feel her body tense and without opening my eyes, knew that flight was imminent. But I wasn't done with her yet. And beyond a few strange utterances during our frantic fuck a few minutes ago, we hadn't really talked yet.

Swiftly locking my fingers around her slim wrist, I held her to me. Willing her to throw caution to the wind and resist leaving so soon. Neither of us spoke and I didn't dare open my eyes, but I held on. I was sure she could feel the stroking of my other hand, even as I slowed my movements. Sure, I wanted to come again but not by my hand.

"I know what you're thinking," I spoke softly. " 'This guy is a stallion. He's hot, he's hung and he's hard again. I can't wait to have him inside me again. What I wouldn't give to get my mouth on him. But what if he's not into that?' "

Squeezing her hand, I tilted my head toward her. "Trust me, I am." I felt the mattress move slightly with her silent laugh.

"But I digress," I continued speaking my Mystery Woman's thoughts. " 'I must have that thick and throbbing cock in the slick folds of my pussy. I will scream wildly until I get it. Get on my knees and beg for it. Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.' "

This time her snicker was audible. I could still feel the tension in her body but was pretty sure it was a different kind of tension now.

Rolling quickly to hover over her body, I finally opened my eyes. What I saw confirmed my suspicions. The rosy flush spread across her cheeks and extended down to her chest. Her pert nipples were still wet from when I sucked whiskey off of them. I ached for another taste. Instead, I lowered myself just enough to brush against her sensitive peaks with the sweaty skin of my chest. Her breath hitched and her hand squeezed mine briefly. Running my nose up her neck, it took everything I had not to lick her.

"Of course, I could be wrong."

She didn't answer. Her eyes were closed. I took the time to watch her face as her breathing sped up. Her long eyelashes fluttered delicately against her smooth skin. The alabaster tone was still evident even under her glowing blush. I never imagined so many hues of brown as I looked at the amber and mahogany waves that fell across my pillow. But it was her lips that truly captivated me. Plump and pouty, I could just glimpse her perfect teeth between them as I listened to her soft pants. The pointed tip of her tongue slipped out to lick at her lower lip and I noticed how red it was. And the color wasn't from lipstick. The hard kisses and bites she'd pressed all over my body were to blame. But there was one crucial part of my anatomy that she hadn't kissed yet. Okay, maybe two. But for some reason I couldn't get my mind off of having her lips on mine.

Half a dozen kisses at the hospital hadn't been enough. Those had been angry, frantic kisses. Kisses that I wondered about days later. It may have been my imagination, but I'd felt as though I was forcing them on her at the time. Sure, she kissed me back. But the nagging feeling that she wasn't into it stuck in my gut. A quick replay of our most recent sexual acrobatics came up short on kisses. Plenty of lips against skin but no lips on lips. I was about to remedy that when her lips parted further and she spoke.

"I'm feeling a little dirty." The rasp that colored her voice went straight to my cock.

Opening her eyes, she blinked them slowly at me as I held back from grinding into her.

"I like dirty."

"I don't," she wiggled underneath me and I began to wonder if I was misinterpreting her. "Have you got a shower?"

Misinterpreting but quick to understand. We could take this party into the shower.

It wasn't easy to pull her off of the bed without letting her hand go but I was still slightly fearful that she would bolt if not attached to me somehow. As soon as I had her inside the confines of my shower, we could be attached in other places.

I tried to steal a kiss or two as I found myself stumbling backward again. But the awkward maneuvering and short walk didn't make it possible. My mouth crashed against her neck and I nibbled at the skin. Working my way toward her face, I felt my back up against the glass wall of my shower and her hand fumbling with the handle. Her body was pressed tightly against mine, my erection hard against her stomach. It throbbed painfully and I reached down to help her with the door. It let go and we crashed into the shower and fell against the back wall.

She reached for my cock while I reached for the knob. The blast of cold water and the electricity from her hand jolted me in the most pleasant way. Rocking my hips into her hand, I groaned and let my head fall back against the wall. The water heated up and I looked down to see it streaming down my chest and across her hand that slowly stroked my cock. My view was obstructed as she leaned into my chest, softly kissing me. I watched her pink tongue drag across my skin until she reached my nipple and bit down sharply. Digging my teeth into my lip, I tensed in her hand as she smiled wickedly up at me.

"You're still dirty," I groaned.

My Mystery Woman slowly shook her head, tracing her tongue back and forth between my nipples. I waited for the pain to come again but she moved lower. Her hand tightened its grip and I watched as she worked lower still.

_Holy fuck, she's getting on her knees. _

With another sly look up at me, those long eyelashes brushed against her cheeks as she blinked slowly. I just about lost it right there. My head cracked back against the wall again and I waited to feel those gorgeous lips in the worst way. Time seemed to slow as the aching in my cock grew with each squeeze of her fist.

Finally a slight pressure against the slit of my head had me reeling. Forcing my eyes open, I watched as she forcefully pressed her tongue into that small slit again. Rubbing the tip of her tongue back and forth over me, I let the groan pour forth from my throat. Pulling her tongue back to run it over her lips, I watched her lean forward again. This time she sucked just the head of my cock into her mouth. Swirling that tongue around and around I desperately wanted to push my full length into her hot mouth.

Clawing the tile behind me for something to grip on to, I felt a rush of cold air as she pulled back from me again. Her fingers circled my cock again, pulling and tugging on it. Another brief lick of her tongue and her hand closed more tightly around my swollen cock. It was all getting to be too much.

Having had enough with the teasing, I lifted my head from the wall and looked down at her. The amused look was still in her eyes but she wasn't quite looking at me. It was more like she was looking through me. Reaching my hands down to fondle her tits, I forced her back into the moment with me.

Her eyes refocused briefly as I gently clamped my fingers and thumbs down on her wet nipples. Letting loose a low moan, she threw her head back and closed her eyes. Helping her to stand I was desperate to get my lips on hers. But she evaded me again, pulling my mouth instead to her neck. Before I could work my lips higher, she was jumping up slightly and wrapping her legs around me. The control she had was amazing. Holding her wet pussy just out of reach of my dick, my face was forced lower. To her tits. I sucked and pulled on them. Lengthening them more and more each time she gasped. The panting breaths were forcing her to rest more of her weight on me and I wrapped my arms closer around her back. Finally the head of my cock was slipping back and forth across her warm folds.

Already wet from the water, my cock was now dripping with her juices too and desperate to gain entrance. Sucking roughly and holding her nipple between my teeth, I pulled back and twisted a little. She bucked forward just enough that I could lift my hips into hers. And I was in. Those hot inner walls clamped down on my hard dick almost violently. I had to still my motions for a minute.

I lavished attention on her other nipple while I tried to regain control over my anxious cock. Closing my eyes against the pelting water, I lapped at the traces of alcohol on her skin. I hadn't noticed her hand leaving my neck but it had made its way down to where we were connected. Clearly she was as impatient as I was.

Stroking the small part of my skin that wasn't sheathed within her was pure torture. She rubbed and twisted her fingers and I opened my eyes to see her slip a finger towards her clit. I moaned into her tits and watched as she slipped a delicate finger into her pussy alongside my cock. The sensation was too much. I had to start moving. Pushing and thrusting slowly, she removed her finger and let me speed up.

Lifting the wet finger to my mouth, I sucked frantically at it. Wrapping my lips around her sweet taste, stroking her long finger with my tongue. I tried locking eyes with her, willing her to put her mouth on mine but that faraway look was back. Before I could lightly bite her finger in an effort to bring her back, my mouth was empty. The hand slipped back around my neck. Her fingers worked their way into my hair and got a tight grip against my scalp. The scratching and tugging of her fingernails urged my cock to move a little faster. A little deeper. Thrusting up and in, I angled my hips to get even further.

She was bouncing above me now, anchored by her gripping fists, locked legs and tight pussy. Her tits moved in perfect circles as she rode my thrusting cock. The water from the shower head was pouring directly over her long locks. They now brushed the tips of my fingers at her lower back. I longed to wrap them around my wrist and tie her to me another way. But our position made that impossible.

My legs were beginning to tire and I swiftly turned us. Pressing some of her weight against the wall, I brought a hand to her clit as I picked up the pace once again. Rolling my hips as I entered her, I leaned in for a kiss. Again I was given her neck and sucked hard and long on the tender skin. My chest pressed against her firm tits as her breaths became fast and shallow.

The tightening in my balls was rapidly increasing and I had to concentrate on my rhythm. Placing both hands back on her hips, I straightened up and dove deeply into her. Her legs had grown loose on my torso but her hands held tight to my hair. Ripping at the roots, she twisted her fingers painfully into my scalp as she started to come apart. I could feel the tension clamping down on my cock, working down my long shaft. The vicious pressure was pulling my cock deeper in, tugging and stretching. Her head jerked forward as she buried her mouth in my collarbone. Though her scream was somewhat stifled, it still echoed in the enclosed space of my shower.

Heat was all around me. Her mouth on my shoulder, her hands in my hair, her pussy on my cock. Another tight squeeze pulled me over the edge and I was thrusting madly into her. Jerking and moaning, I willed the orgasm to continue. A silent scream this time escaped from her as I watched her head jerk back against the wall. More pulsing, more pressure. The delicious release continued. Every inch of my body was hot. Covered in her warmth, we slowly came down from our climaxes. It was only then that I realized how hot the water was. Scalding hot. The burning across my back wasn't from her hands or legs, it was from the shower.

Violently twisting the knob, I was relieved to feel the flood of cold water pour over my aching skin. My Mystery Woman unlatched her legs from my torso and I helped her to stand. Again we found ourselves touching at just the fingertips. Standing only a foot apart, our hands seemed drawn to one another. The cool water rinsed us of sweat and sex.

The thoughts I'd so carefully constructed after our last round of sex had now been thoroughly scattered once again. Trying to sort out which question I wanted to ask her first, I forgot about the most important thing. To keep her with me.

At first I welcomed the further rush of cool air until I realized it was from the shower door, followed by the bathroom door, opening and closing.

_Shit! She's gone again!_

Stumbling over my own feet I nearly fell out of the shower. I slipped and slid over the tile floor trying to locate a towel.

_Fuck! She took my towel!_

Grabbing a nearby hand towel, I dried the parts that were dripping the most. I didn't need to get a concussion as I chased after my disappearing Mystery Woman.

Not caring enough to cover up everything she'd already seen, I dashed out of the bathroom and found my feet to be still wet enough to slide across the hardwood floor of my bedroom.

_Empty._

Skidding quickly through the room, I negotiated the same flooring in the hallway, making my way toward the kitchen and the front door. I could hear the door opening and picked up speed. The gorgeous marble floors of our entryway wouldn't do me any favors so I slowed ever so slightly as I approached them. Towel waving wildly in my clenched fist, I struggled to stay upright as I slipped and squeaked toward the closing door.

Jerking it open and throwing myself forward without looking, I shouted, "What's your name?"…

…right into Emmett's chest.

Breaking through his despondent mask briefly, he looked utterly perplexed as he took in his now soaking wet shirt. A quick once over of my lack of attire, he deftly plucked the towel from my hand that clutched the doorway. He thrust it toward my crotch.

"Let's keep the family jewels under wraps, bro."

A shadow of a smirk crossed his face as he pushed past me into the apartment. A wild look into the hallway found it empty, the elevator doors long since closed.

_Damn it._

Swinging around to face Emmett, I slammed the door behind me. I used it to keep me upright as my feet were still slippery.

"Did you see anyone on your way in?"

"Nope." He popped the 'p' as he pulled a glass down from a shelf.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck." I leaned my head back against the door, a cruel reminder of how recently I'd been in such a position. Luckily my hand was still covering my cock, keeping it tamed for the moment.

Emmett was rummaging around in the liquor cabinet and finally emerged empty handed. If only I could escape the room before he spoke. I knew what was coming.

"Where's my whiskey?"

**END A/N: So I could ask all the standard questions, like: What do you think is up with Emmett? Do you think Bella will ever stick around long enough to actually talk to Edward? Do you think Bella will figure out she's screwing Edward and NOT Emmett? Etc, etc, etc. But who cares about all that? What I really want to know is... who wants to have hot shower sex with Edward? Don't all raise your hands at once! ;)**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Glad you all enjoyed taking a shower with Emmett... uh, Edward. Wonder where Bella's mind was at during the whole thing... let's find out, shall we?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight... otherwise everyone would've been too busy getting it on to attend high school.**

_The shower water sputtered and sprayed unevenly as the man inside washed himself clean. I had only opened the door to place a clean towel inside but the low timbre of his voice kept me there._

"_I can't believe how dirty I feel."_

_I had to laugh. "Most men who come here feel that way."_

_He chuckled and murmured something I didn't quite catch. His tall silhouette from behind the muslin curtain left plenty to the imagination, and mine was quick to fill in the blanks. Lifting his arms up to rinse his hair, I watched the curve of his biceps flex with each stroke along his scalp._

"_Would you mind closing the door? Bit drafty in here."_

"_Sorry-" I started to back out of the bathroom but once again he stopped me._

"_I hope you're staying though. I could use the company."_

_That certainly wasn't the first time I'd heard that, working in a bordello and all. But this cowboy seemed different. For starters, he wasn't a real cowboy. He only looked like one. The train he'd jumped from was inbound from New York. There weren't many cowboys in the city. That and jumping from a train usually meant you were running from something. And if the bruises on his face were any indication, that something had already caught up with him once._

_Closing the door behind me, I took a seat on the footstool just inside the bathroom. The curtain shuddered and I saw his brilliant eyes peek out at me briefly. The glance was followed by a bright arch of teeth before he ducked back under the water._

"_Good. I was afraid you'd left. I didn't mean that kind of company, you know."_

"_That's all right. So what brings you into town?"_

_It was the safest question I could think of asking. What little conversation we usually had with our clients was limited. None of them wanted to tell you too much about themselves. Even the ones that had wives who were driving them crazy. We were a fairly hush-hush operation, which suited me just fine. The cowboys weren't the only ones trying to run and hide from something in their past._

"_I would've thought that'd be obvious."_

_I waited for him to continue. He gave me another playful look from behind the curtain before returning to his shower._

"_The midnight train, of course."_

_He laughed loudly at his own joke and the sound was almost magical. I closed my eyes briefly to imagine what his handsome face would look like as he laughed like that. It was almost too much. I felt my face flush and I shifted uncomfortably on the stool. This stranger was causing my body to react in a way it never had. I was used to being the intoxicating one. The one doing the seducing. And that was my job. He was doing it without even trying. _

_When I opened my eyes, he had pulled back the curtain a bit. Motioning toward a bar of soap just out of his reach, I stammered out an apology and quickly retrieved it for him. I'd only glimpsed the tanned, sculpted muscles of his shoulder and chest but it was enough to confirm the image that my mind had conjured up. _

_Settling back onto the stool, I firmly crossed my legs at the knees. My skirt rode up slightly but I didn't care. I needed to keep the slow fire that was building under control._

"_My story's quite boring. Trust me. But working here you must have some good stories."_

_Coming from anyone else that might have sounded degrading. But he truly seemed interested. And not at all disgusted by what went on here. What I did here. Part of me hoped it was because he'd be calling on me once he had a little money in his pocket. But the larger part of me hoped that would never happen. If it did, I was nothing more than a paid whore to him. And there was something about this man that made me want to be more. More for him._

"_Not really," I answered. "You'd be surprised how quickly things can become run-o-the-mill around here."_

"_Really? Well, that's a little disappointing."_

"_Sorry if you got your hopes up." _

"_Oh, I didn't mean it was disappointing for me. But it must be for you. What's life without a little adventure, right?"_

_I nodded even as I realized he couldn't see me. Perhaps he was looking through the muslin as intently as I was. Perhaps, but doubtful. _

"_So lay it on me."_

"_Excuse me?" I asked, snapping out of my reverie._

"_Give it to me. Your best lines. You do have lines, right?" Again, it was pure curiosity with him._

"_Uh, I guess so. Nothing scripted or anything…"_

_He was waiting for me to continue. I rubbed my suddenly sweaty palms on the exposed skin of my thighs, trying to dry them. I should have been pushing my skirt back down but it was hot in here._

"_Since we're all about pleasure and making y-you-" I stammered over the word. "-feel good, it's mostly compliments and stuff."_

"_Like?" He pressed._

"_Okay, well, um, a popular one is 'You are a stallion. You're hot, you're hung and you're hard.'" _

_I finally had to stand. Smoothing my skirt down, I took a step toward the shower. Telling myself I was just pacing, I continued on my track toward the silhouette on the muslin curtain._

"'_What I wouldn't give to get my mouth on you.'"_

_I couldn't bring myself to turn away from the shower now that I was as close to it as I was. _

"'_I must have that thick and throbbing cock in the slick folds of my pussy.'"_

_Noticing his cowboy hat hung on the towel hook that the curtain was suspending from, my mind started burning with curiosity. I hadn't seen him take it off. I was dying to know what his hair looked like. Surely the color I glimpsed as he jumped from the train was a trick of the light. No one had hair that color._

"_Go on." His voice was quiet, strained almost._

"'_I will scream wildly until I get it.'"_

_A bump sounded and something slipped from inside the claw foot tub. The soap. As I watched the shadow duck to retrieve it, he bumped the curtain. Causing his hat to fall, it landed right at my feet. Bending to retrieve it, I heard the water turn off. The metal rings rattled across the curtain rod and I looked up. Peering up at him from on my knees, my eyes made slow work of examining every sinewy muscle that roped through his body._

"'_Get on my knees and beg for it.'" My voice was barely a whisper as my eyes finally reached his face. If I'd thought this man was otherworldly before, that fact was only confirmed when I saw the shock of hair that completed his perfect features. The color of-_

APOV

I turned the paper over. It was a ridiculous thing to do, computers only print on one side. But I felt like if I read what color his hair was, it would make or break me. I'd read the entire stack picturing a handsome blond cowboy. To see it in writing would at least confirm my suspicions.

Placing the paper on the bottom of the pile, I felt a little sick. Pushing the stack across my desk made it a little better, but not much. I had expected to feel ill at the thought of Bella ignoring my pleas to stay away from Jasper but in reality I was sick with myself. Just one of the many grievances I'd piled against her lay an arms length away from me. Her latest manuscript.

I could swear up and down that I hadn't stolen it. At least not outright. It had been sitting on the kitchen counter at home where anyone could've seen it. Anyone, like Jasper. He immediately sprang to mind because that's exactly who I saw reading it this morning over coffee and bagels. Bella had dashed out for an early morning run, but not after planting a kiss on Jasper's cheek and begging for his opinion on something. That very something that right now burned a hole in the corner of my desk.

Jasper had flopped down on the couch after perusing the papers. He'd muttered something about being up late and needing a nap. At nine o'clock in the morning. I wasn't a complete idiot. Convincing myself that it was easy to mix up the mystery papers with some bills I was bringing to the club, I was out the door just as Jasper started snoring.

And now the guilt was eating a sizable hole in the center of my stomach. Of course, it had been feasting there for a couple of weeks now. Ever since Jasper had unofficially moved in. As good as the reasons sounded for me wanting Bella and Jasper to keep it professional, I knew I was being illogical. I was one of the few people who knew just how Bella worked and if I was being honest with myself, Jasper was the ideal candidate for her research partner. He was good looking, unattached, uninhibited and made more than enough claims about his prowess in the bedroom that I was starting to believe him. Hell, I'd practically hired him with Bella in mind.

Sure, there was the whole "he's my employee" thing and the mess with his sister, not to mention him living with us. But none of those reasons should actually preclude Bella from sleeping with him. If she objected to being with him for any of those reasons, then that was her problem. But for me to stand in her way… it was downright unsisterly. And not only was I feeling guilty about it, I was kind of pissed at myself. It wasn't like me to try to mother her. I'd never really approved of how things ended up with Quil but Bella was a big girl and could make her own decisions. At least with Jasper it seemed unlikely that he'd be seriously dating anyone soon. So there wouldn't be any "Bella on the side" like there had been with Quil. Even the quiet thrill I'd felt at giving her Emmett's number was short-lived. Emmett was a nice enough guy and all but he wasn't right for Bella. At least not with what she was trying to do. Bella needed a guy who could be quiet and let her take the lead and something told me that Emmett was not that guy.

_So that's it._ I thought, pushing away from my desk.

No more guilt, no more rules. I wanted nothing but happiness for Bella. And I knew her work made her happy. I'd been more than thrilled to patch things up with Rose in anticipation of her being a great work contact for Bella. And despite Bella's few days of research hell with Rose, I knew Bella was happy to be making some progress on such a long-awaited project. I was anxious for her to have some success that she felt she could put her own name and face on.

That being said, I didn't see why she couldn't own up to writing the romance novels. Hell, they were best sellers and she had a worldwide fan base. It was about time she came out of the dark and enjoyed a little of the love going around for the reclusive Renee Dwyer. Mom might be a little pissed that she stopped getting recognized as the famous smut novelist, but she'd get over it.

There were two things I could do for Bella right now. And as I made up my mind, I felt immediate relief. Action worked much better for me than brooding and stewing. Step one was to make a phone call. Not bothering to use my desk phone, I pulled out my cell and started scrolling through my phonebook. As I looked for the number, I mapped out step two in my head.

In its most basic form, I would give Bella and Jasper my blessing to research away. With that hot piece of ass living on our couch, Bella could have another half dozen bestsellers within the year. But that wasn't the sort of thing you blurted out at the dinner table. Besides, I was known for my grand gestures. And I had the perfect thing in mind. It was about time we had a theme night at _Inspiration_.

Finally locating the elusive phone number, I hit send and grabbed a notepad and pen from my desk. As it rang I jotted a few notes down about my gift to Bella.

_Ten gallon hats_

_Leather chaps_

_Bucking bronco_

Yup, I think Cocky Cowboy Night was just what Bella needed to officially start brainstorming with Jasper.

"_Hello?"_

I smiled to myself. It was definitely time to have another party as well. A little "coming out" party for Renee Dwyer.

"Edward? Hi, it's Alice."

-0-0-0-

_Meanwhile back at Alice & Bella's apartment…_

BPOV

When I got back from my run, Jasper looked like he'd put in about five miles too. I was finding summertime in Boston to not always be kind. And our antique apartment had another charming feature: no air conditioning. A nice enough breeze would come in through the twisted back alleys of Beacon Hill, but I was pretty sure I faired better running along the Charles than Jasper had stuffed up here where the heat had risen to.

As uncomfortable as it was in the apartment, it suited Jasper. After all, he wasn't wearing much else beside the sweaty side effects of the scorching summer day. He was stretched out on the couch in his usual position. Legs spread wide, arms behind his head. He did in fact have the windows open and the slight breeze that had wafted in was brushing the golden waves of his hair back and forth across his forehead.

"Hey there, Miss Swan. You look good in sweat." There was that killer smile.

I returned it as best I could while retrieving a bottle of water from the fridge.

"You too."

Jasper winked and closed his eyes, enjoying the wind as it picked up briefly. Kicking off my shoes, I sat on a kitchen stool and took a gulp from my water.

"So, did you read it?" I asked.

Jasper's eyes were still closed and I took his silence as an affirmative.

"And what did you think?"

He shrugged mildly.

"That's it? You're usually so verbose when I ask for a critique. Even when I don't ask."

Finishing my water, I pulled off my drenched tank top and let the air cool the sweat on my torso. I was definitely running in just shorts and a sports bra next time. Jasper's eyes opened and he quickly gave me the once over.

"Really, Jas?"

"It's like a sixth sense. I can tell when woman are removing their clothes. By all means, keep going. Don't let me stop you."

I rolled my eyes. "Sorry, the rest comes off in my room."

"Now?" Jasper sat up.

"Cool your jets there, lover boy. No one said you were invited."

He leaned back against the couch, in mock dejection.

"Here I am giving you feedback on your writing and I don't get anything in return?"

"The pout's a bit much, Jasper. Besides your feedback so far was a shrug. Perhaps a bit more revelation…"

"More revealing sounds good to me too," he waggled his eyebrows and I had to laugh at how goofy he looked. Goofy and sexy at the same time. How did he do that?

"Give me some real, honest constructive criticism and I'll flash you. Deal?"

Jasper leaned forward, resting his forearms across his spread legs.

"Now, this sounds interesting. Of course, if I'm being completely honest and giving you in-depth criticism I think more than a flashing is in order."

"Like…"

"I want that sports bra completely off and I want to watch you walk to your room."

"That's it?"

"Backwards. So I can see those tits bounce."

Dropping my head into my hand, I groaned through the smile that I couldn't seem to keep off my face.

Without lifting my head, I answered him. "If you're really helpful maybe I'll even skip to my room."

"Nice touch." He was nodding encouragingly when I peeked at him through my fingers.

"I was kidding," I said.

He lifted a shoulder before letting it drop indifferently. "We'll see."

Leaning back onto the kitchen island, I propped my elbows up and pushed out the much-haggled over breasts. Anything to help him concentrate on the task at hand.

"So… let the critique commence."

"Have you dropped the gangster bit altogether?" He asked seriously.

"No, I'm still undecided though. It seemed like the way to go but then I- I don't know, I got sidetracked and started thinking the whole beat up cowboy thing might work. Truthfully I might do both. What's another bestseller, right?" I winked at him.

"Uh, I just don't see this one working," he said.

"What? I thought the scene was pretty hot." I replied.

"I guess."

"You guess?" Now I was getting a little pissed.

"Bella there wasn't any action in it. No cock sucking. No ride 'em cowboy. No nudity. No one got off-"

"I thought that scene would have you jerking off. Why do you think I went out for a run?"

"What was there to jerk off to? A naked guy in a shower? Sorry, that is so not my thing."

I bit my lip and chewed on it thoughtfully. Granted, Jasper wasn't exactly my target audience. Women and gay men were. Surely those demographics would find a naked cowboy in a shower to be enticing. But still, Jasper had jerked off to every other one of my books. Maybe he was right.

"Bella?" Jasper spoke with a bit of trepidation.

"No, it's okay. I'm just thinking. I mean, you know it wasn't a completed scene, right?"

"God, I hoped not. I mean, what's the fun in no one getting off?" he said.

I laughed. "Right. There are multiple orgasms just pages away. But I don't know, I thought the foreplay was getting it done."

"To be honest, the dialogue seemed a little forced." Jasper said.

My elbow slipped on the counter and I almost fell off the stool. If there was anything real about that scene it was the dialogue. And unfortunately I found myself saying just that before I could stop.

"That was real. It was practically verbatim what he said to me-"

It was the slight cock to Jasper's right eyebrow that tipped me off that I was speaking out loud. He laced his fingers together and laid them in his lap.

"Oh?"

It wasn't like I was cheating on Jasper. He and I didn't have a relationship. We'd never even slept together. But all of a sudden I felt very guilty. Very much like I'd been sneaking around behind his back. And then he hit the nail on the head.

"Have you been running lines with someone else?" His tone wasn't accusatory, just curious.

"You could say that," I mumbled.

Jasper got up from the couch and made his way over to me. The movement had caused the beads of sweat on his chest to suddenly roll down and through the grooves of his sculpted abs. My breath caught as I watched one drop roll to the low waistband of his gym shorts. The bead of sweat pooled briefly before dissipating into the fabric. As I watched another trace the same trail I found myself wanting to lick it before it disappeared. He was standing so close that when he cleared his throat I was taken by surprise. Looking up at him, I could feel the blush burning on my cheeks.

"I could say that you've been running lines with someone else? Or that you've been running other things with someone else? Had any good showers lately, Bella?"

"Fuck, Jasper." I exhaled quietly.

He leaned low, his arm next to mine on the counter. Our faces were level.

"Was that a request or a plea?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "It was an exclamation."

"Oh right," his eyes were unblinking and his lips curled devilishly. "As in 'Fuck, Jasper, harder!'"

There was something about him shouting his own name in mock rapture that made my legs grow wet with more than just sweat.

"You do realize it's none of your business how I research, right?" Even my voice didn't sound convincing to me.

"You do realize you're squirming, right? Shorts a little… wet?" Jasper glanced down, drawing my eyes down to my legs that were tightly pressed together. "I don't mind how you research, it's just-"

I looked back into his blue eyes. He pressed his lips into a firm line, not finishing his sentence. Before I could ask, his tongue darted out to wet his lip and I found myself distracted again. It wasn't until he was done speaking that I realized what he'd said.

"I don't think it's working for you."

I was puzzled, then pissed. How could he think Emmett wasn't working for me. Emmett was all about me. Multiple orgasms worked just fine for me. There were moves in my notes that I would never have thought of if not for Emmett.

That thought made me pause. I had never taken moves from Quil. I'd never stolen lines from Quil. I'd never allowed Quil to speak, for that matter. Or touch me. Or veer from the script I laid out for him in any way.

But of course things would be different with Emmett. He didn't know what I was doing. What we were doing. What he was doing for me. Sure, he was showing me a great time in bed, but he had no idea just how much I was benefiting from our little trysts. I'd never really felt like I was using Quil because he'd first suggested it. And he never said no when I asked him for help. But this felt different. Emmett seemed to be enjoying himself just fine. Was it considered using him if he liked it?

"He doesn't know, does he?" Jasper voice brought me back from the heated argument that was building in my head.

"I-" I shook my head.

Before I could put my thoughts into a sentence, Jasper had pushed his shorts lower on his hips. They sat mere centimeters away from revealing the General and his thumbs were putting significant pressure on the loose shorts.

"I guess I can't blame you for the lame dialogue then. Looks like my stand-in isn't much of a player."

"Your stand-in?"

"Please, Bella. The cowboy is obviously me. You've heard my drawl, right?"

With that Jasper pushed his shorts all the way off. I shouldn't have been surprised that he'd be going commando underneath, but I was a little. Of course, having seen the General before did nothing to diminish the full effect of him. Up close and in the daylight he was huge. And as of right now, only sporting half an erection.

"Jas, what are you doing-"

"I'm – I mean, he's in the shower right? Do you want me in the shower or does here work for you?" Jasper brought a hand down to give his dick a long, languid stroke.

I wanted to be offended. I really did. But Jasper seemed able to tow the line just right. The boyish smile on his face made him look so ready and willing to lend a friend a hand. Or a cock, as it were. Those blond curls were brushed down across his forehead again and I just wanted to move them. Touch them. Feel them. He wasn't being aggressive as he gently stroked his cock and I found myself gripping the counter behind me tightly. I desperately wanted to join his hand but needed to keep my head about me.

Despite how I'd conducted my research in the past, I was suddenly feeling a little out of control as I realized I was pilfering lines and moves from an unsuspecting player. And now I had another one standing, naked, in my kitchen.

"Not that I've got money to pay you or anything ma'am, but I'd sure appreciate a bed for the night."

The only difference between Emmett and Jasper was that Jasper knew just what the deal was. Hell, he was playing a character for me. Keeping one hand on his cock, he reached the other to glide lightly across his sweaty abs and up to his dark nipples. He rubbed his chest lightly before he slipping the hand back down to rest on his happy trail.

"I hope I'm not being too forward, ma'am."

I forced myself to look away from his hands and cock and finally our eyes locked. Despite the devil-may-care look on his face and the slow rubbing that was taking place just outside of my view, there was something different in his eyes. The same cautious question that I often found punctuating his sentences when we practiced scenes together. It was this careful tone that made me know whatever steps we took were up to me. There was no pressure coming from him. I could take his offer or leave it. It was the same reason why I'd had to cut short the few times we'd worked together. I wasn't entirely sure how I felt about doing this with Jasper. It should be easy. There were no false pretenses with him.

As I watched the question linger in his eyes, I found myself wondering just what had stopped me before. I suddenly couldn't remember why I was staying away from Jasper. This whole problem of having two incredibly handsome and available men at my disposable seemed like a ridiculous notion now.

I stood abruptly enough that I seemed to take Jasper by surprise. His hand left his cock and he took a minute step backward. The humid air that had mixed with my sweat and arousal were going to make this difficult, but not impossible. Placing my hands at the bottom of my sports bra, I gave a little tug and had the whole thing overhead and off in a matter of seconds.

My nipples were hard the second another scant breeze drifted into the apartment. I could feel the sweat drying on them as they peaked into sharp points. Lightly rubbing my fingers across them, I finally looked back into Jasper's eyes. I could tell that his hand had started moving slowly on his cock again and despite the wild look on his face, his voice was calm.

"Ma'am?" Calm, but quiet.

"I did make a deal with you, cowboy. Complete honesty for a little show." I winked, my feeble attempt at letting Jasper know this was okay. Hell, I'd taken off my top, he'd better realize this was okay.

The step he took towards me spoke volumes. He moved slowly, affording me plenty of opportunity to change my mind or tell him to stop. But I didn't want to do either. Reaching a hand up to my bare tits, he lightly cupped one. I was intently watching his hand and realized I should probably be watching his face. I wanted to see what he was thinking about all of this and just where we'd go from here. He was rather beyond taking instruction from me but I wondered if he'd manage to keep up the character.

A smirk lit up his face and he quirked an eyebrow at me again, catching my eye. The tweak from his thumb and finger on my nipple took me by surprise. I gasped and felt my legs get a little more wet. Sucking in a staggered breath, I tried to regain my focus.

"That's an awfully bold move for someone with nothing to offer me." My voice was shaky at the start.

Jasper took another step, closing the space between us a little more. "I wouldn't say I have nothing to offer…"

His words hung in the air. My mind flashed through the various directions the scenario could head from here and was surprised to suddenly find his lips on mine. Stumbling in my steps away from him, I got tripped up in the stool that was a little too close behind me. Jasper's large hands gripped my upper arms, helping to steady my feet. When I was upright, he removed his hands and I found his eyes searching mine again.

"Sor-" I cut him off with a quick shake of my head. I didn't want him apologizing. After all, he was doing me a favor.

I tried to return us to the position we were in a minute ago but the worry was evident in his eyes. I didn't bother trying to put his hand back on my tits, it would feel too forced now. In an effort to salvage the scene, I tried again.

"I thought you said you had no money?"

Understanding took a little longer to register in his eyes this time. When it did, I could see him searching for the right thing to say and do. I nudged his hand with my own and he quickly brought it back up to cup my breast. His other hand returned to his cock before the knowing smirk fell back into place on his handsome face.

"I've got this."

The lingering pull on his cock lengthened it toward my wet center, as if was pointing out its desired destination.

"I'm sure you can think of something to do with it."

My eyes were unfocused, settled somewhere between Jasper's face and his giant cock. The line wasn't right. The cowboy wouldn't be asking for pleasure from the bordello girl. He had to have something different to offer her. She knew plenty of things to do with a cock. The scene couldn't be about that.

I don't know how long I was lost in thought but it was long enough that Jasper tweaked my nipple again and made a big show of clearing his throat. When I finally focused back on his face, he had a half smirk in place. He was really trying but for some reason this just wasn't working. I realized I was saying this out loud when the smirk straightened out into a firm line.

"Don't, Bella. I'm good at everything I do. Just steer me in the right direction."

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath. Jasper was right to be determined. It made sense for me to do this with him. Hell, he'd just asked me to feed him a line. I'd done that with Quil more than once. Maybe I just needed to get the scene moving along a little more. I was still wearing my running shorts and socks. First things first, those had to go. Jasper's grip on my tits had loosened a little and I took advantage of it. Taking his hand in mine, I dragged him down the hallway. Steps away from my room, I glanced over my shoulder and threw him a wicked smile.

"I've done everything there is to do with a cock. What I want to know… is what you can do with a pussy."

Jasper growled and slammed me into the open door of my bedroom. Holding me tight in his arms, he had me slammed against the antique wood as it hit the wall. Grinding his heavy cock into my stomach, he growled again and let one of his hands slip down to the waistband of my shorts.

"Well, it's your lucky day. Pussy is this cowboy's favorite thing."

Jasper drew the tip of his tongue in a slow circle around his lips before leaning down to lick a hard line along my neck. I shivered and wriggled in his grasp. Feeling my way up his muscular back, I wove my fingers into his hair and gave a light tug. As he lifted his face back up to mine, I pushed my chest into him. The move forced him to back away just a little.

"I'm dirty-"

The words had barely left my mouth when that feeling washed over me again. The feeling that this wasn't quite right. There was something off. Jasper pulled me back into the moment with another growl.

"I like dirty."

There it was again. My stomach turned on itself and I swallowed thickly. These lines were good. Why didn't it feel right?

Jasper didn't wait for me to respond as he now took me by the hand, leading the way to my shower. We were halfway across the room when I heard my cell phone ring. It was on my bedside table and I turned the second I heard it. Jasper tugged at my hand but I had the same flaw that my leading women did. We usually let the most mundane things interrupt our moments of pleasure. My readers called it 'cock-blocking' but I called it a plot device. And as much as I wanted to ignore it, I knew that ring. It was Alice.

Alice.

Realization and guilt descended immediately. Alice was why I'd been staying away from Jasper. Sure, he looked good on paper. But Alice didn't want us to hook up. And Alice came first. Breaking our hands apart, I lunged for the phone and tried to discreetly cover my bare chest as I answered breathlessly.

"Alice?"

"_Bella! I'm glad I caught you. So I've got something really big planned for you. And Jasper… is he there?"_

"Uh, yup."

"_Great, put me on speaker!"_

Pressing the speaker button, I placed the phone back on the table. Taking advantage of two free hands, I grabbed a t-shirt from the floor and quickly threw it over my head. Jasper was still standing with his feet pointed in the direction of the bathroom, a questioning look on his face.

"He's here, Alice."

"_Jas?"_

"Hey, Alice. What's up?" I was sure Alice could hear the smile in Jasper's voice. What she missed was his rather obvious hand gesture to the General who was, in fact, quite "up" at the moment.

"_So I owe the two of you an apology. I've been such a cock-blocking bitch."_

Jasper threw another pointed glance down at the General. "No shit, Alice."

"_Well, I'm officially apologizing and repealing the 'no screwing Jasper' law."_

I was stunned and kind of wanting to talk with Alice in private about this. I mean, Jasper was naked and horny in my room. This phone call may end up being really short if she just gave us permission to do what I think she did.

"Well, well… I assume this is an apartment-wide repeal…" Jasper said.

"_Sure, Jasper," Alice laughed. "You can screw me silly next time you see me."_

"Lucky, Jasper. How does this new law impact the rest of us, Alice?" I asked.

"Hey!" Jasper's protest was quickly cut off by Alice.

"_Please Bella, I know how you work and I think all three of us would agree that Jasper is the ideal candidate for… 'research partner.' Right?"_

"Sure," I agreed.

"_So no more mother hen. I'm here to support my sister and make her life a little easier. That being said… onto my big surprise. I've got the perfect way to declare you two officially approved to fuck!"_

"Oh Alice, only you would think of throwing a free to fuck party." I groaned.

"Well, I'm listening." Jasper wasn't just listening, he had one of those large hands back on his cock. The slow, twisting stroke was obviously being done to torture me. Despite speaking to Alice, he was looking right at me.

"_No fair guessing, Bella! But yes, we are having our first official theme night at 'Inspiration.'"_

"Do tell," I said.

"_I just have one question for Jasper."_

"Hit me, darlin'."

"_Do you have a cowboy hat?"_

Jasper hollered and whooped loudly, smacking his hands together overhead a few times.

"_Is that a 'yes' Bella? I can't hear with all that yelling."_

"What self-respecting southern boy doesn't have a cowboy hat, ma'am?" Jasper answered for me.

"_Fantastic. You grab that bad boy and meet me down at the club in fifteen. We've got some planning to do. The party's this Saturday night, Bella. So you get that computer fired up and if you hit a mental block stop by CVS for some condoms. I have a feeling you're gonna need them after 'Cocky Cowboy Night'!"_

Jasper and I looked at each other for a few seconds before realizing Alice hadn't hung up.

"_Seriously, Jas, get your ass down here. Just because I gave you permission to get Bella all good and fucked doesn't mean I want to skip the foreplay. So try to hold it together until Saturday. Then the chastity belt comes off!"_

"Yes, ma'am."

This time we heard the tone signaling that Alice had hung up. Jasper had me pinned against the door again in just a few steps.

"I really wish this was the bad boy she wanted me to grab." Jasper's hand was around his cock again. It seemed to be that was its permanent resting place. But then again, if I had that at my disposal all the time, I suppose I might not be able to keep my hands off of it either.

Jasper eyes burned into mine when I finally looked up from his cock. They were such a beautiful blue. But the lust behind them burned and threatened to swallow that pretty color. The only thing keeping me from getting lost in his eyes was the very prominent bump of his swollen head against my stomach again.

"I'll just have to settle for you grabbing him… on Saturday."

A quick kiss on my cheek and Jasper was off and running down the hall, as fast as he could manage with the erection he was sporting. I heard him rummage loudly about in the front closet we'd give him. Letting my body fall into the door, I imagined he was throwing on some shorts and shoes before grabbing his hat. The slight echo of his voice down the hall called to me. Looking up I saw that he was ready to head out. As ready as he ever was, shirtless and shorts hanging low. The General was still quite obviously stiff underneath but it was the beat up cowboy hat on his head that had all of my attention. Now that was hot.

Touching the brim lightly between his finger and thumb, Jasper tipped it toward me.

"Until Saturday then, ma'am."

I laughed and gave him a wave as he headed for the front door. Just before he left the apartment, I heard him swear loudly.

"Fuck, I gotta ride the motherfucking T with a boner again."

**END A/N: My apologies now for the lack of lemon (next chapter is sorely lacking one as well)... but I promise to get you good and turned on in the meantime. Then back to the lemon per chapter! That's what we're here for after all, right?**

**So, thoughts on Alice's planned theme night? Alice's change of heart? Jasper in a cowboy hat? Should Bella drop Emmett/Edward as her muse and hook up with Jasper?**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Everybody ready for Cocky Cowboy Night? We're sooooooo close to a whole lotta lemons... just a little more foreplay first!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, I just like to put the characters on horseback. Sort of. ;)**

It felt like my birthday. The days leading up to "Cocky Cowboy Night" were filled with hushed whispers and muffled giggling. Mostly on the part of Alice but Jasper had been known to join in as well. Of course it was less giggling and more chuckling from him.

Information was being kept from me and that was pretty much the same thing as a surprise. Which I was not fond of. Alice and Jasper were under the mistaken impression that keeping secrets from me would only enhance the anticipation. In reality, it was going to give me an ulcer.

I'd spent the better part of the week going through my notes from the hospital rounds with Dr. Hale. I'd already outlined the book and had finally decided to dive in and start writing. The first four chapters came together rather quickly with the narrator's voice effortlessly falling onto the page. As productive as I was during the day, I found my nights to be just as prolific. If I were talking to either Alice or Jasper, I would have told them that I'd nearly completed both smut novels. It had started as an exercise in levity. After spending the day in the mind of a young cancer patient, I needed something a little less serious to work on. And I thought if I puttered around with Edgar the Gangster and Edmund the Cowboy from time to time, they could provide me with the perfect creative outlet. I didn't think it would be possible to write much without the constant stimulation from Emmett and Jasper, but I really wanted to spite Alice. I tried to appreciate all the work she was putting in on the party for Jasper and I, but I felt just slightly pathetic. Who else's sister would throw them a foreplay party? All the time spent in front of my computer screen was also giving me a raging case of insomnia. I was either anxious to move around after having sat around all day or found myself wearing out Jake's batteries when Edmund and Edgar got me too worked up to sleep.

The only clue Alice had given me about "Cocky Cowboy Night" was that it was now being held on Sunday. She'd been unable to reschedule a bachelorette party that was booked for Saturday and apparently some important apparatus she needed for the cowboy thing was unavailable until Sunday. I tried to put a kibosh on the whole production right then. But my argument about no one wanting to go to a club on Sunday night backfired. Alice was quick to remind me of the success of opening her club on a Wednesday night. That and it was summertime in Boston. That meant the city was swarming with college kids looking for a good time any day of the week. I resolved to go back into hiding and not pry any further into the whole event. The last thing I needed was Alice thinking I wanted this. It was shortly thereafter that all the shushing and snickering became a real distraction.

Apparently I wasn't doing a very good job of being enticed by all the cloak and dagger meetings at the club and various other locales around the city. So Alice decided to bring the suspense to me when she knocked on my door to drop off a garment bag. Quietly whispering that it was for Sunday and not to peek until then, she quickly hung it on my closet door and snuck back out. The whole act was designed to look like she was merely stopping in but not really trying to interrupt my work. Of course the giant black garment bag now loomed over my shoulder like a threatening storm cloud.

The words came slowly now as I tried to concentrate on my computer screen. Alice was going to win either way. If I ignored it, I was falling in line with their notion that I wanted to be surprised. If I opened it, I gave Alice the satisfaction of knowing that I'd noticed every single whispered laugh all along.

_Dammit._

I was fairly certain Alice was listening just outside my bedroom door. After a brief faceoff with the garment bag, I determined there would be no winners and reluctantly unzipped it.

"Goddammit, Alice!"

That was when I heard her small footsteps scamper down the hall and into the kitchen. Of course she had been listening. Grabbing the hanger out of the bag, I stormed out to the kitchen where she and Jasper were doing a horrible job of pretending to do the daily crossword.

"I think four down is 'prophase.'" Jasper pointed over Alice's shoulder. Giving a determined bite to the end of her pencil, Alice finally conceded and started writing the word in.

"Or it's 'when hell freezes over.'" I interrupted.

"That's like twenty letters too many, Bella." Alice mused.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I was referring to sixty-nine across over here." I shook the hanger violently.

Alice stifled a laugh but Jasper kept his composure. Straightening up from the counter, he narrowed his eyes and looked at the hanger.

"You won't be able to see it with your eyes half-closed like that, Jas. There's not enough fabric." I said.

"Panties?" Jasper spoke to Alice, who fervently shook her head.

"Nice," he said to her before turning back to me. "If you wear it as is, a sixty-nine is definitely possible. I'd love to try that on-"

"Shhhh!" Alice jumped up from the stool and clamped a tiny hand over Jasper's mouth.

She was so small next to him that she'd practically wrapped her limbs around his torso in an effort to shut him up. Despite the little sprite that was clinging to him, Jasper seemed unfazed. He did glance down at her and I could see the corners of his smile peak out from behind her hand. Wearing her own smile, Alice stepped back and I could have sworn I saw her eyes flicker to her hand before looking back at him.

What was that about? Everything I knew about Jasper told me he'd probably licked her hand or playfully bit it. Hell, if her finger had been closer to his lips than his cheek, he definitely would've sucked on it before returning it to her. I realized Alice was now looking at me again and I knowingly quirked my eyebrow at her before returning my face to the death stare I'd had going earlier.

"So you like it, Bella?" Alice asked.

"Oh, Alice. That is the biggest understatement ever uttered." I said.

"You _love_ it?" She practically squealed as her heels lifted off the ground.

"I _loathe_ it. Nothing – and I mean, nothing – will get me to wear this. Ever."

Alice was still hopping on her toes. Jasper wound his arm around her shoulders but didn't seem to be grounding her at all. The two looked at me with matching grins that were already making me nervous.

-0-0-0-

It was Sunday night. "Cocky Cowboy Night" at _Inspiration_. And I was wearing it.

'It' being the costume Alice had picked out for me. When I said I'd never wear it, I'd meant it. When I said nothing would get me to wear it, I'd underestimated Alice and Jasper. I'd always known Alice to be determined and stubborn but with Jasper by her side, she was unstoppable. I still wasn't sure how they'd managed to convince me, but here I was. Dressed like a cowgirl. A cowgirl that encountered a freak tornado on her way to the rodeo, thus she was missing half of her clothes. Apparently the tornado happened too far from home for me to turn back and change.

Tugging fruitlessly at the beige, fringed skirt that barely covered my ass, I was glad I'd been allowed one addition to the outfit. Panties. Now at least I wasn't completely worried about the first stiff breeze that might come along. Not to mention any time I might need to walk or even stand. The night was hot and humid but even the weather didn't make me thankful for the top. The same beige fringe trimmed with black leather formed what looked like a western vest… made for a child. Instead, my petite breasts were shoved in but still practically busting through the tied enclosure that ran up the center of my chest. The sway of the fringed leather was the only indication that I was actually wearing anything, what with the outfit being flesh-colored and all. Something told me that was intentional. If I thought the costume was ridiculous, it didn't hold a candle to the cowgirl hat perched on my head. Rhinestones and intricate embroidery, Alice had bragged endlessly about having it custom-made just for me. Guilt got me to put it on but practicality kept it on. After all, the damn hat covered more of my body than my entire outfit. In an emergency, I had no qualms with hiding behind a cowgirl hat.

Alice had refused to let me ride to the club with her so I had to settle for a lone cab ride a few hours later. I refused to leave the apartment looking like this until the sun had set. Being summertime, I had longer to wait than usual. But the thought of throwing a coat on over the cowgirl costume was just a little too much like one of my novels. I refused to grace Alice with the gift of me unveiling myself at the club. Heck, I could probably slip in with one of her female dancers. I was sure I would blend right in.

Even though I'd given myself plenty of time to get to the club, Alice still wouldn't let me look around when I arrived. I was early and she didn't want any of her surprises ruined. She rushed me into the club, down a back hallway and out into a secluded alley the second she saw me. The labyrinth we'd taken to our current location would make it impossible for me to find my way back into the club if I tried. And I couldn't even see the street from here. Sure, we were outside, but the alley was more like a courtyard space surrounded by buildings on all sides. It was like being in a brick box with a skylight.

"I hate to have you wait out here, Bella-" Alice started.

"Don't you have an office or a dressing room or hell, even a closet, I could be waiting in?"

"I have all of those things, but you can't hang out in any of them. Too many chances to snoop."

"Do you honestly think I'm going to waste my time trying to uncover your big cowboy night plans?" I asked.

"Anything's possible, B." Alice smiled at me. "I'll have one of the bartenders bring you a drink. Sorry, Bella."

I waved my hand at her apology. Until she closed the door behind her and I realized what she had been so sorry about. The outside of the door had no handle, there was no way back in. I was Alice's prisoner.

Contrary to all outward appearances up until now, I had actually been looking forward to "Cocky Cowboy Night." But that excitement was giving way to annoyance as the seconds ticked by in the alley. When the door finally cracked open, I seized my chance. Taking the bartender by surprise, I forced my way back inside.

"Uh, Ms. Dwyer asked that I-"

"I know. I'll make sure the blame is all on me." I said. "I'll take something fruity and intoxicating in Alice's office."

Before the poor bartender could protest, I had set off down a hall that I thought led toward the stairs to Alice's office. I entered without knocking but wasn't surprised to find an empty room. Alice preferred to spend her time on the floor, behind the bar, backstage or tending to her many other businesses around the city. Sure, _Inspiration_ was getting the majority of her attention lately, but it was only when she was sleeping on the red leather couch that her actual office got much use.

Sitting down on the sofa, I could see why Alice favored it over her bed. If I weren't so keyed up about the night ahead of me, I might have considered taking a nap. To think that I'd actually convinced myself that the temptation of Jasper had forced Alice from the apartment. When if fact, this couch from heaven was clearly to blame. A few more minutes on the leather that was softly melting to my form and I might've had a new object of lust to write about.

But just like every lusty moment with Jasper, Alice interrupted. Quickly extinguishing any wanton thoughts or actions. Letting the door slam behind her, Alice planted firm fists on her hips.

"Something wrong with the alley?"

"Yeah, no leather couch," I smirked.

Alice sighed and shot a quick glance to her desk.

"I've not peeked at a thing. Your surprises remain intact." I said.

A corner of Alice's mouth lifted, transforming her angel face into something wicked. Folding her body next to mine on the couch, she leaned close to me. Now, I was worried.

"What?" I asked.

Her attention wavered as she gave my outfit the once over.

"You look good," she said.

"Uh huh…" I said, barely containing my grimace. I'd lost the clothing battle and refused to dwell on it any longer.

Alice's eyes shot back to mine and the twinkle in them was unmistakable.

"What?" I pressed a little more anxiously this time.

"You want one of your surprises now?" Alice leaned even closer.

"I don't know. Do I?"

She shrugged carelessly. I was obviously getting it either way.

"It's not a surprise for tonight. It's for tomorrow."

I groaned. "You're not throwing a 'Cocky Quarterback Night' are you?"

"Hmm…" I lost her again briefly as she contemplated the possibilities.

"I am not tackling Jasper on Astroturf, if that's what you're thinking, Alice." I called her back to the present.

Alice stuck her tongue out at me. "It's not football season yet. 'Frisky and Flirty First and Ten' will have to wait until the fall."

_Fantastic, I just handed her another theme night. Of course, Jasper in tight pants and a helmet did have its possibilities…_

"Anyway," she continued. "I've arranged for you to have a 'coming out' meeting with my PR firm on tomorrow morning."

Alice paused, her mouth open in a frozen exclamation of happiness like she was just waiting for me to join in the fun.

"'Coming out?'" I didn't understand.

Alice rolled her eyes. "Yes, Bella. Coming out as a romance novelist. Coming out as Bella Swan and not Renee Dwyer. Coming out to claim some of the worldwide fame and fans that follow your particular brand of smut!"

_Liz. Alice. Liz and Alice. Dammit._

Before I could launch into a tirade about the two of them being in cahoots against me, something else that Alice said sunk in.

_PR._

"Your PR firm?" The panic was slow to hit me but it was now coming on fast.

"Sh, sh, sh!" Alice put her hand on mine. "It's okay. I don't know what you've got going on with Emmett but I wouldn't be stupid enough to schedule a meeting with him. Awkward!" She sung the last word in a high voice before turning back to me, serious again. "It's with his brother, Edward. Totally professional."

"How professional will I look the morning after 'Cocky Cowboy Night?'" I questioned Alice.

Before she could answer there was a tentative knock on the door. It was the bartender returning with my drink. My much-needed drink. It was indeed fruity. The neon green color, pineapple wedge and pink umbrella were dead giveaways. But as I gratefully took a sip, I found it was also likely to fit the bill as far as intoxicating went. The fumes coming off of it were strong but managed to go down smooth.

As the bartender slipped out, I noticed Alice was halfway out the door as well. I tried to stop her.

"Alice, I don't know-"

"Uh-uh, no worrying about it tonight. Tonight is all about having fun." She was a good enough sister to see that merely telling me not to worry wasn't going to do the trick. "So you fight the hangover, go to the meeting, listen to what he has to say and then you politely decline."

I raised a skeptical eyebrow at her. There was no way she'd put up with me turning down the 'coming out' party so quickly.

"And then you can face the wrath of Liz," Alice smiled and disappeared from sight.

So there it was. The final threat. Take the PR meeting and take it seriously or deal with yet another onslaught of emails, voicemails and texts. My anonymity might not be worth the hassle after all.

Another sip of my alcoholic paradise in a glass and I was ready to let the nagging worry recede to the back of my mind for the night. After all, there was a party about to start downstairs. And it was all for me.

-0-0-0-

I had to give Alice credit. When she did something, she did it thoroughly.

As it turned out, the "cowboy" part of the evening was restricted to just the guys. In an effort to remain slightly aloof and not at all desperate, I decided to start the party in _Insight_ along with all the other cowgirls. But I was the only cowgirl in sight. All of Alice's dancers for the evening were wearing revealing corsets and petticoats on the side of the club that had been transformed to look like a deliciously wicked bordello. The sense of déjà vu was mind-numbing. I felt as though I'd walked right into the words on my computer screen. Which might explain just where my print outs had gotten too. If I had taken the time to search Alice's office, I'm sure I'd find them somewhere.

I hung out a little longer than I'd planned, watching the girls and getting even more ideas for the treats my Cowboy Edgar could receive. And I had to wonder if I was going about my research the wrong way. It seems as though all I had to do was tell Alice my ideas and let her throw me a party. Of course there was also something to be said for being a third party observer versus a first hand participant. My recent trysts with Emmett made a pretty convincing argument for the latter.

Thinking about Emmett in the setting I currently found myself was doing funny things to my body. It was definitely time to move on over to _Inspiration_ and see what the cowboys were up to. Jasper, in particular.

As I made my way through the glass wall partitions, I slowed enough to enjoy the show that was going on inside. What looked like silhouettes of cowgirls and cowboys riding horses was anything but up close. More in line with an S&M club, the "horses" were in fact either male or female dancers. And the riding looked slightly more erotic the closer I got. Luckily, before I could get too drawn into what I was looking at, Alice bounced up to me. Ushering me through a space in the wall, she led the way into _Inspiration_.

"Where have you been?" She asked.

"Enjoying the bordello," I said.

"Totally. Isn't it great? The girls look awesome! I'll totally set you up with a lap dance later, if you want." Alice was giddy.

"I think I'm good."

"Duh, right! Of course you are. I promised you a cowboy to ride, didn't I?" Alice's eyes twinkled again and she motioned toward her herd of male dancers.

The men were all undoubtedly costumed as cowboys, it was just a matter of how much fabric their costumes consisted of. Mike was sporting just a hat and boots. The five guys I'd noticed from opening night – Paul, Seth, Jared, Collin and Brady – were wearing identical leather chaps in different colors… and nothing else. But my eyes immediately went to Felix. It was easy for him to dominate a room, what with his height and incredible build. And his cowboy hat, extremely fitted vest and tight leather pants were nothing to shrug at either. But it was what he was doing that really caught my attention.

Lifted onto a platform in the center of the room was a black bucking bronco machine with a spotlight on it. My stepmom forced me to sit through several viewings of "Urban Cowboy" when I was growing up and so I knew just how sexy a slow ride on such a machine could be. What Felix was doing was nothing like that. The machine looked like it was trying its darndest to dislodge him, but his muscular legs held tight, arm thrust into the air. The cocky determination that was painted on his face was incredibly sexy. And the motion with which his hips moved was again doing funny things to my body. I doubted I was the only woman in the club that wouldn't mind filling in for the bronco.

Alice tugged on my arm and I leaned down to her without taking my eyes off of Felix.

"I've got a grand entrance planned for Jasper but I'm just waiting for- oh! Here she is!"

I was still watching Felix, so I had no idea who Alice was talking about. I heard something about Jasper and was beginning to realize that it was quite possible I'd be having sex in Alice's club for a second time. Between the bordello girls and Felix riding the bronco, I was raring to go. All she had to do was point me in the general direction of Jasper. If I happened upon one of the other guys on my way, that would probably suit me just fine. My fit of reverie was interrupted when I dragged my eyes away from Felix to see Rosalie Hale stalking toward us.

My muscles tensed reflexively.

_What is she doing here? Surely, Alice wouldn't- _

But one look at Alice confirmed it. Alice had invited her. It was times like this that I wished I could read Alice's mind. She appeared to be sincerely happy that Dr. Ice Cold Bitch was here. I was absolutely stunned. Less than a month ago, that very same woman was punching out guys left and right, in the exact spot where we were standing. And here she was, why?

It was only now that I was trying to talk to Alice that I noticed how loud the music had gotten.

"You invited Dr. Hale?"

Alice didn't seem to have a problem hearing me though. She nodded and rose to her tiptoes, her lips just reaching my ear.

"If anyone needs to get laid, it's her."

Rosalie was upon us before I could respond. The terse expression on her face cut me short any proper greeting other than a curt nod hello.

"I thought you were a writer," Rosalie sneered. "Or is that the new buzz word for 'stripper.'"

I felt my fist twitch when she pulled out the air quotes, but I did realize how ridiculous I looked. Even the waitresses were dressed more demurely than me. Besides, I was about to sex up her brother in public. Best not to mince words now. I laughed in what I hoped was a light tone before Alice took over. Turning to Rosalie, she gripped her in a tight hug. Hugging was definitely Alice's thing, not Rosalie's. She noticeably stiffened up. Noticeably to anyone but Alice, who perhaps just chose to ignore it.

"I'm so glad you came. I wasn't sure you would." Alice hugged her even tighter.

"If it will get you and Emmett off my back…" Rosalie threatened.

Alice pulled back to look her in the face. "I promise. No more solicitations."

"From you," Rosalie interrupted. "Can you speak for Emmett?"

_Emmett? What the hell? _

Rosalie was still talking but I didn't seem able to hear her.

_Was Emmett into Rosalie? _

Would it matter if he was?

_Did he want to be? _

Why not? She was beyond beautiful. Bitchy, but beautiful.

_Did he get off on being beat up?_

I'd never noticed any such inclination before. But then again, how present was I really for any of our encounters?

I was clearly lost in my own head now. And it was making me dizzy. No more fruity drinks for me. I did my best to turn my attention back to Alice and Rosalie. Part of me wanted to hear more about Rosalie's connection to Emmett. But Alice had changed the subject. Keeping one arm around Rosalie's waist, she waved her hand around the space.

"Obviously you have to look beyond all the cowboy stuff and loud music. We can take down the glass wall barrier and open the space up. Definitely enough room to accommodate thirty tables of twelve. More if you want. The bar even folds back so we can set up smaller drink stations, if you like."

As Alice turned Rosalie around to point out some additional features, I was only catching a word or two at a time. It was easy to conclude that Alice had invited Rosalie to check out the space for sort of annual hospital masquerade gala. I wasn't entirely sure this was the best way to showcase the space for a potential client with such a notorious history but Alice clearly had other things in mind. I was quite certain she was trying to book the big gala at her club, she was all business after all. But what she'd whispered to me about getting Rosalie laid seemed to be equally important to her at the moment. While pointing out the various changes that could be made to the space, Alice was casually turning her to look at each and every dancer in the room. Alice's timing couldn't have been better either, Jasper had yet to come out. Despite Alice's efforts, Rosalie seemed unimpressed. Frequent glances at her watch or scowls at anyone who dared to look at her were her only outward expressions.

The bass in the club suddenly came up in volume and I recognized the song immediately. The atmosphere in the room changed drastically and I just knew that Jasper's entrance was imminent. Alice seemed unfazed that Rosalie was going to be front and center for the show as the chorus came up.

"_Save a horse, ride a cowboy…"_

And there he was.

Long and lean in black leather chaps and steel-toed black boots was Jasper. He emerged from backstage on an actual horse. The stallion was such a sleek black that he seemed to glow. I had no idea how Alice had gotten a horse in here or how it was so well-behaved in such a loud and raucous environment, but I'd be damned if that beast wasn't created by God with Jasper in mind. The two moved in the most graceful dance together as they made their way slowly to the center of the floor.

Up until this point, Jasper's face was actually hidden under the distressed leather of his cowboy hat. I was vaguely aware of movement next to me when I suddenly remembered that Rosalie was here. Peeling my eyes away from Jasper, I glanced nervously over Alice's head just in time to hear Rosalie.

"Wonderful. Dumbfuck has finally found a use for our great-great-grandfather's cowboy hat," she looked pointedly at me and Alice. "It's a family heirloom. Handmade and all. I'm so proud."

Alice suddenly had Rosalie's arms in a tight grip as she steered her toward the other side of the club.

"Maybe she's into women," Alice offered quietly to me before quickly removing her from Jasper's sight.

My anxiety lasted all of two seconds before I realized what was standing right behind me. The cheers had escalated to full-on cat calls and when I turned, Jasper was swiftly dismounting the horse. A million different scenarios flickered through my brain and I found myself mentally writing at least another chapter in the time it took for his feet to hit the floor.

Felix had abandoned the bucking bronco machine and Jasper was now climbing onto it. I realized it was rocking slowly as he placed first one foot and then another on it until he was standing upright. The slow swaying continued and Jasper followed the movement with his hips. The song was nearing its end and I watched the long leather-covered lines of his body as they moved sensually to the music. When I finally reached his face, I was just in time to see him tap the brim of his hat up. Blue eyes blazing in the spotlight, I could just make out the messy blond curls from under his hat. But it was the sneer that was drawing his luscious lips up to one corner that did me in. Biting into his lower lip, he tugged on the hat a little. The crowd of women that had gathered around went completely wild.

The playful smirk stayed on his face, one hand on the hat as the other hand traveled over his body. Glistening in the spotlight, his large hand stroked the skin of his chest and trailed down over the ripple of his abdominal muscles. I wasn't the only one whose eyes were following that hand as it dipped even lower. Only now did I notice that he was wearing one more thing in addition to the black leather chaps. His briefs were the same color as my skirt, a skin-colored beige. But the feature that really attracted my attention was the cock sleeve that he had the General squeezed into. It laced up the front with black leather straps, calling attention to the massive length of his dick. And it wasn't even hard yet.

-0-0-0-

Jasper managed to inspire another solid chapter or two when he pulled out a lasso and started making his way around the room. I'd never seen so many women and men clamoring to be tied up before in my life. And I wasn't too proud to admit that I was one of them.

I'd moved onto water after my first fruity drink and was relieved at my decision when Jasper finally made his way over to me. Tipping his hat and leaning in close enough that my face fell under the shadow of the brim, he wrapped a long arm tightly around my waist.

"Ready to saddle up, ma'am?"

His arm tensed just enough that my body knew instinctively what to do. My legs left the floor and were wrapped tightly around his hips briefly before he was setting me down on the bucking bronco. I wasn't the most coordinated person in the world but I found that my brain was unable to find any real reason to worry. Not when I had my body wrapped around the blond Adonis before me.

But too soon he was gone. Having positioned me so that I was straddling the bronco, my hands instinctively found the horn and gripped tightly as the machine started to move. It was the same rocking motion that Jasper had managed standing up. So far it wasn't too bad. At least I was sitting. That was when I felt it. The warm, hard body that slipped onto the saddle behind me. Jasper's large hands stretched out over mine, dragging his finger lightly between mine. I kept my grip on the horn, but a shiver ran down my back. A low chuckle tumbled from his lips and I was surprised that I could hear it over the loud, thumping music. Dragging his fingers up my arms, he gripped my shoulders briefly before bringing his hands down to my sides. When he slipped each forefinger under the leather triangles that were binding my tits, I jumped. He kept his hands there, slowly rubbing the pad of his fingers against my sensitive nipples. I moaned and let my head drop back onto his shoulder. It was only then that I realized his hips were rocking against mine as the swaying continued its slow pace.

As with my last experience on stage with Jasper, I was only vaguely aware of the crowd around us. The music was loud enough to mask a lot of the shrieks and hollering and the spotlight was bright enough to blind me against the many faces around us. Right now, it was just Jasper's hard body pressed against my back, his hands on my tits and his lips on my neck. Ooh, that was new. His lips on my neck. He gave me a playful bite just under my ear before nudging my head back into an upright position. At the same time, his hands continued their journey down my body. Across my bare stomach until his fingers found purchase along my hip bones. Pulling me back into him, I could feel the General start to stir. We were pressed closely together. Things were going to get uncomfortable for him pretty fast. Just as the thought passed through my mind, Jasper's hands were lifting my ass off the bronco. Using my legs to grip the sides of the machine, I felt one of Jasper's hands leave my hip before it quickly returned. When he helped lower me back down the saddle felt a little different. Harder. Not quite as steady as before.

"I've got your stallion right here, ma'am." The whispered growl was close to my ear and it took me mere seconds to realize just what I was riding.

Jasper had laid his cock out on the bucking bronco and I now sat atop it. The thin silk panties I'd chosen to wear under my costume were instantly wet. Jasper's leather-sheathed cock was nestled perfectly between the moist lips of my pussy. I ground down onto him, rocking into his cock with the motion of the bronco. Now he was starting to get hard. Sliding my hips forward and back, the friction was mouthwatering and I found myself licking my lips. Despite being behind me, I knew Jasper was tall enough that his lips could still reach mine. But he had other things in mind. His hands moved past my hips, now that I was rocking with his, and slipped onto my thighs. Nudging them apart ever so slightly, I found my legs being drawn on top of his. The glorious rubbing of his cock against my panty-clad pussy was enough to distract the self-conscious part of my brain that should be worried about being spread-eagle on a bucking bronco. Ever the gentleman, Jasper helped me to remain somewhat discreet. Wrapping his long fingers around my inner thighs, he lightly stroked my bare skin. His thumbs grazed the sides of my panties and I wondered if he would dare slip a finger in. But he didn't need to. The thin fabric that covered my soaking pussy was not doing much to block the sensations that Jasper's cock was having on my body. I was amazed at how pliable the leather sheath over the General was. It had stretched as he grew and hardened and the groans he muttered from behind me were doing little to convince me it was painful. He seemed to be enjoying himself.

The bucking bronco picked up speed and I was forced to change my angle on Jasper just a little bit. It was then that I truly got to appreciate the briefs he was wearing. The black leather lacing that traced a criss cross pattern up his length started at the head. The knotted nub of fabric was perfectly positioned to bump my clit with the direction I was moving in. Grinding harder down on him each time the machine tilted back, I found myself roughly biting at my lip. The muscles along my inner thighs clenched and my lower legs pressed harder into Jasper's. I rose off of the saddle and arched my back into him before lowering back down. I was moving as carefully as possible, I really didn't want to hurt him. But he hissed anyway when I sat back down. My mind flickered briefly to the crowd around us and I hoped that his cock sheath and my skirt were blending into one another. I really didn't need to be that much of an exhibitionist.

Trying to let go of my petty anxieties, I forced my brain to enter "work mode." Bravely removing a hand from the horn, I reached back to curl my fingers behind my cowboy's neck. Giving it a little squeeze, I stretched my fingers up to brush against the bronze locks that curled out from beneath his hat-

_Wait. Bronze?_ My hand froze in place as my mind sorted itself out. _Blond, blond locks that curled out from beneath his hat._

It was an easy slip to make. After all, Jasper was behind me, it wasn't like I was looking at his hair. So my brain just substituted one color for another. I'd never questioned my inner dialogue before.

Jasper's hands suddenly pushed my legs off of his and I was forced to remember where I was. Quickly bringing both hands back to the horn of the bronco, I wondered what Jasper was doing. For as uncoordinated as I was, Jasper was twice as agile. I was turned around, facing Jasper's prone body on the rocking bronco in a matter of seconds. With the horn suddenly behind me, I reached back in an effort to steady myself. It was a good thing I did because the sight in front of me was dizzying. Jasper was lying on his back, his crotch inches away from mine. His long legs dangled to brush the darkness that swallowed the base of the machine near the floor. The muscles that lined his torso and chest were stretching and flexing with each rock of the bronco. The sexy cowboy hat still sat atop his head but at an angle now that was partially obscuring his face again. Taking a long, muscled arm up to pull the hat from his head, I was briefly blinded by his dazzling smile. The hat tapped against the brim of mine before Jasper was slowly tracing a crooked line down my torso. The worn leather was soft and smooth against my skin. I wasn't sure how he managed it but after passing my chest, I found the leather laces that were holding my breasts in had come undone. I wasn't completely exposed, thankfully. Sweating under the hot lights had molded the costume perfectly to my tits. The fabric clung tightly to my peaked nipples and would likely have to be peeled off of me later.

_Just the job for Jasper to do,_ I thought with a smile.

Tossing the hat back onto his head, Jasper's eyes fell into the shadow of the brim again. His hands reached for mine and managed to pry them loose from the horn. As long as my hands were in his, I felt safe. But it was when he let go that I found myself unbalanced once again. Sure, he'd given me something else to hold on to, but it wasn't quite the same as the bronco's horn. It was just as hard but longer and thicker and most definitely more fun. I tightened my grasp on his cock, tugging slightly as I rocked my hips toward his with the movement of the machine.

"Ever rode a cowboy before, ma'am?" Jasper spoke loud enough that there was a cacophony of cat calls that answered him before I could.

Biting my lip, I squeezed my fingers again and leaned down to rub the covered head of his cock between my glistening tits. Licking my lips before I sat back up, the darkening of his green eyes was detectable even in the shadow of his hat.

_Blue. Blue eyes. What the hell?_

Instead of looking down at Jasper to reacquaint myself with his physical features, I glanced around the club. I realized I was looking for green eyes.

_Well, Rosalie said he was here._

The question was, why did I care? A hot piece of ass was within arm's reach. Hell, a hard cock was in my hands. Why was I thinking about Emmett?

Once again, it was Jasper that pulled me back into the moment. His hands on my hips again, he lifted me with the next rock of the bronco and had me riding him again. The General was pressed between his hard stomach and my wet panties. I gave into the motion of the machine, letting it do the work for me. Rubbing and sliding, the friction was heavenly. Jasper brought his hands behind his head, enjoying the ride. Using his sculpted chest for support, I dug my fingernails into his sweaty skin. The musky leather smell was intense when it mixed with the heat and moisture we were generating. I let my hands wander to Jasper's six pack and into the small space his lower back allowed on the bronco. It was just enough room for me to grab a handful of his hot ass.

"Yee haw!" Jasper let loose with a yell, bringing one hand to sharply smack my ass in response. I pinched his before bringing my hands back to the more steady hold that his chest offered.

It was a good thing because Jasper slipped a quick finger into my panties on his way back from smacking my ass. The fast slip against my moist heat was almost more than I could bear and I nearly lost my grip. Desperate not to fall, I realized that Jasper's slick chest was probably not the best thing to hold on to. Reaching behind me once more, I found the bronco's horn further away than before. I had to lean back to grasp it. The angle had my pussy pressed firmly against Jasper's hard cock. And whoever was operating the bucking bronco had a cruel sense of humor. For suddenly it had picked up speed. Jasper was spread out on the machine like a cowboy buffet and while I was straining to keep the back of my head from hitting the bronco, I was more concerned with another part of my anatomy. Each bump and rock from the bronco had the barely covered lips of my pussy spreading to welcome the length of Jasper's cock. Sandwiched in my warm heat, his head was once again bumping into my clit in the most wonderful way.

The shrieks of the crowd swallowed my own screams that were building against my will. My arms were getting tired and Jasper suddenly sat up. Wrapping his arms around my torso, he pulled me to him. My legs were over his and the new angle allowed me to wrap around him. He lifted me a little with each thrust of the bronco and he added his own rocking to it. I longed to kiss those smirking lips in front of me. That was just one of the many items on my list of desired actions. The brightness of the spotlight was still obscuring his face, despite our proximity. I wanted to toss that damned hat into the crowd and yank on those copper roots the way he liked it.

_Goddammit! Blond roots! Blond!_

Jasper's tongue was licking long lines up my neck again. He was playing to the crowd, showing off his length. As if anyone doubted that his tongue matched the length of his cock.

But I was taking advantage of my unobstructed view of the club. Scanning the crush of party goers, I searched for a shock of auburn hair. The burn of emerald eyes. Over Jasper's shoulder I could see a little bit of the _Insight_ side of the club. Surely he'd be on that side. In the bordello, rather than here. Maybe I could do with a little more research on that side of things.

It was the bronco this time that interrupted my musing. Rising at a sharp angle that slammed my body harder into Jasper's, I felt us sliding off of the machine. With his arms wrapped tightly around me, Jasper helped me to the floor. Raising his hat overhead and waved it wildly, he bowed to the cheering crowd but kept one arm around my waist. I hoped my blush looked like it was a result of exhaustion rather than arousal and embarrassment. But luckily I realized that few eyes were on me. The duo of Alec and Demetri had replaced us on the bronco and were providing their own brand of cowboy riding for the spectators.

"Thanks for the ride, honey. I look forward to jumping you later. That's strictly a horse-riding metaphor, Bella. Promise." His flirty wink let me know it was anything but a horse-riding metaphor. But he was already gone. Swallowed by the crowd, enjoying his role as object of desire among the many women and men in the club.

Water was definitely in order. Somehow the bar in _Inspiration_ looked a little too busy and I convinced myself it would be easier to secure a drink in _Insight_.

_Maybe Rosalie is still here. I could ask her some questions pertinent to my novel._

And what if she's with Emmett?

_Oh right, Emmett. I totally forgot that he might be here._

Ri-ight. If it's Rosalie you're after, why are you looking for bronze hair instead of blond?

A few grabby patrons distracted me from the argument I was having with myself. It was easy enough to imagine that I looked like a member of the entertainment staff, especially after the little bronco ride. But there was a difference between an honest mistake and being groped by a stranger. Maybe if I could find Alice she'd let me change out of this ridiculous outfit. If I could extract it from my body. The leather had definitely shrunk a bit since first putting it on.

I sped up my steps. I was glad my costume wasn't that of a bordello dancer. That was the only reason I seemed able to get through the crowd at _Insight_ slightly unnoticed. A few of Alice's female dancers did enjoy trying to coax me into joining them onstage but finally I found what I was looking for.

Alice. And Rosalie. And… Emmett.

_He is here._

Alice was standing between the two of them. The sheer number of people that still separated me from the trio made it impossible to see what Alice might be facilitating. Emmett and Rosalie were tall enough that I could still see them overhead most of the crowd, but Alice was the key. Emmett had a polite smile on his face and Rosalie had a sour one on hers. Nothing new there.

_Nothing new, but nothing to worry about either. _

I felt the smile stretch onto my face as I thought about the lack of attraction between Emmett and Rosalie. It shouldn't make me so happy, but it did.

The crowd cleared a little as I continued to make my way toward them. My previous reluctance to have an actual conversation with Emmett seemed to have disappeared. My anxiety over Rosalie's possible involvement with him had set me on edge. If I was going to be an adult about this whole thing, I might as well officially introduce myself to him. It was as I got closer that I glimpsed another person who was likely part of their conversation. The tall brunette was standing close to Emmett. I don't know how I missed her before.

_Yes, you do. You were too worried about Rosalie to notice anything else._

Well, I wasn't now. The brunette looked like she could join Rosalie on a runway in Paris, modeling swimsuits or lingerie, at the drop of a hat. She tilted her head toward Emmett and the pair laughed. Rosalie barely cracked a smile but it didn't seem to deter them. I was walking faster and faster now and thought I saw the brunette slip her hand through Emmett's arm. The scolding words my brain was broadcasting were being drowned out by the rapid pumping of blood in my ears. I was seeing green and it was in more than just Emmett's eyes. I had to stop walking. I had to turn around. Go somewhere else. Back to Jasper. Home. Anywhere else. If I continued on the path I was currently speeding along, I would only embarrass myself. I'd gotten what I wanted out of Emmett. Alice gave Jasper and I her blessing. I had a cowboy ready to ride just a few hundred feet away. He would probably indulge me in a very public display of sexual acrobatics if I asked him.

My head was half-turned back to the rodeo at _Inspiration _but my feet were still walking toward Alice and company. The mixed signals going to my brain resulted in a display of my sheer lack of coordination. Tripping over my own feet, I bumped into someone and then another someone. Rescued just inches from the floor, I shouted out my thanks over the music. A light touch on my arm and whispered words in my ear were the first indication that I'd reached my destination. It was Alice.

"Bella, are you alright?"

Panicked, I looked up and saw the bewildered foursome looking down at me. Thankful for the pounding bass that shook the floor and deafened the crowd, I stuttered something nonsensical and kept right on walking. It turned into more of a run as soon as I broke through the crowd.

A dark hallway loomed ahead and I was counting the seconds until it swallowed me. Shadows and relief swept over my body. The relief was short-lived and halted when it reached my arm. The long fingers that curled around my elbow marked the precise territory line that separated panic from calm. Whirling fast on my feet, my body crashed into the one that the hand was attached to. Looking up, I saw the color I'd been searching for all night. Green. Smoldering, burning, glinting with fire.

Through crooked lips, he spoke in a low voice. "Did you lose your horse?"

Matching his grip, I grasped his forearm and pulled. Our bodies crashed together as we made our way deeper into the dark hallway. Searching the wall, I finally found a door. Emmett's body was the perfect size to bust through. He didn't seem to mind as he pulled me in for a desperate kiss. Closing my eyes, I tumbled through the doorway and into the only place that made sense anymore.

My fantasy.

**END A/N: For anyone who didn't catch the rather obvious reference to the amazing and entertaining "First & Ten" then you've been missing some great reading! Get right on it, now that it's complete you can blast right through that sucker! Enjoy! Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Oh and I promise lemons galore in the next chapter... and soon, soon, soon Bella will get her Cullen twins sorted out. Very soon!**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Glad to see so many author/story alerts... thanks for the vote of confidence everyone! Hope you enjoying the story thus far... I've kept the lemons away from you for two chapters... that ends now! Enjoy!**

The finely sculpted planes of Edmund's back that I'd admired from afar - and sometimes slightly less afar - made a satisfying smack as I shoved him against the door. His crooked grin that usually set my heart aflutter was only serving to piss me off. Most men took my small hands to be a sign of weakness but I possessed physical strength most underestimated. It appeared that I could add Edmund to those ranks.

The smile was quick to disappear as I pushed against his chest again. I knew the door wasn't comfortable, having been pushed up against it many a time myself. Panting and crying out from the pain of the old and splintered door was often misinterpreted for passion. The grimace flickering across Edmund's face was all too familiar.

"What the hell-"

Another shove and his sentence was cut short as the air left his lungs.

"I might ask you the same thing," I didn't dare let my voice rise to the scream that was simmering in my chest.

"W-what-" It came out of his lips as a stammer but his eyes betrayed him. He knew exactly what I was talking about.

I'd seen them. I'd walked in for the grand finale, as it were. As far as he knew, I may have been witness to the whole thing. The bordello had been built in such a way that there were secret nooks and crannies hidden everywhere. All had been host to illicit sexual acts or spying at one point in time. Tonight it had been a little bit of both. And we were well aware of the roles we played. The guilt was plain on his face and I was just waiting for him to try to explain it away.

"I can explain-"

The sound that erupted from my throat could barely be classified as a laugh. Even I could feel the sinister foundation it had sprung from. If he had been wearing a shirt, my fist would have torn a hole through it. The tanned, bare skin of his chest wasn't fairing much better against my nails. His naturally musky scent was coming off of him in waves and when I watched the slow motion of his throat swallowing deep, I found desire stirring within.

Clamping my teeth tightly together, I breathed heavily through my nose. I refused to let lust overtake me. Stamping the desire down, holding it back, I found myself leaning closer to him. It was the wrong move to make. Being that much closer to his sweaty skin was only confusing my body further. The pulsing between my legs was becoming too much to ignore. Struggling against my traitorous body, my forehead was suddenly pressed against the hand I had anchored to his chest.

I could feel Edmund's arms move. Slowly lifting around me in a questioning embrace. Before he could touch me, I moved. Releasing my nails from his chest, I let my hand fall. The barrier between my face and his chest suddenly gone. And my lips were on him. My tongue and teeth quickly joining in. Biting at his slick skin, licking his dark nipples. I wanted to devour him. Frantically kissing him, I scraped my teeth against his smooth skin, desperate to take hold. Tracing my tongue down the fine hair that marked the center of his well-toned stomach, I heard him grunt above me. Or that might have been me. I wasn't unaware of the growls and moans leaving my own lips.

My knees may have found themselves in a familiar position, but not my heart. It beat loudly in my chest, trying to ward off the encroaching butterflies that twittered nervously. With each warning pound, I realized the fluttering wasn't going away. It was only growing, getting stronger. My fingertips twitched at the loose waistband of Edmund's pants. The leather tie was dangling on either side of his fly. A cruel reminder of what I walked in on. Dragging a stuttered breath in immediately cooled my moist lips. I swallowed but found the jealousy hard to force down. Desperately trying to recall my anger, I refused to allow passage to other, more dangerous emotions. Darting my narrowed eyes up to his desperate face, I needed to let him know this was about retaliation. Nothing more.

The bright stain of lipstick that marked his neck summoned my fury and I dragged my clawed fists down the front of his legs. I didn't think it would be possible for him to feel my nails through the thick canvas of his pants, but he hissed nonetheless. His prominent erection strained against the loosened front flaps. I was done taking it slow.

Without bothering to lower my hands, I pulled on the waistband of his pants. As the folds of his fly drew further apart, I dove in. I enveloped his thick and weeping cock completely into my mouth. His hips bucked forward, a natural reaction I was familiar with. The smug smile that tugged on my lips only sent another spasm of rapture through his body. Slipping my tongue from side to side on the underside of his shaft, I removed the remnants of Heidi's work. Once I was sure he was cleaned of her saliva, I sucked slow and hard as I pulled off of him. Wiping the back of my hand quickly across my mouth, I erased her taste from my tongue as well.

It didn't happen often, but when a particular goldmine struck, us girls found ourselves doing partner work for the night. I'd tasted Heidi more than once and while I wasn't opposed to her flavor, I didn't want to taste it on him. Forming a rigid 'o' with my lips, I allowed the swollen head of Edmund's cock to pop into my mouth. A few twirls of my tongue around the rigid rim that separated his head from the rest of his impressive length and I heard his groans grow louder. Again without warning, I swallowed all of him. The tip of my nose nestled into his happy trail. Edmund's natural scent of cedar and hay was even more overpowering from here. Sucking in deeply through both my nose and mouth, I found myself humming around his thick cock. Pulling back, I started a rhythm that was known to drive men crazy. Fast but not too fast, I felt him hit the back of my throat lightly and opened my mouth just enough to dip my tongue out to lick at his balls. Varying my speed every so slightly each time, I would still give a small but strong flick of my tongue at his rapidly tightening sac.

Edmund's hands were pressed hard against the door behind him. I wasn't sure if he was bracing himself or trying to keep his hands away from me. He was right to do both. It was only going to get more intense for him and I was still too pissed to allow him to enjoy this. If nothing else, I would make him regret his decision to enter Heidi's room. I was better than her at everything.

Twisting my head now as I pulled off of him, he bucked his hips again. Turning and tugging, I dragged my tongue roughly against his hard length. I could feel the soft skin of his cock slipping through my mouth and his taste was exquisite. Untainted now by Heidi's flavor, I felt my anger rise again that I might have missed my chance to taste this. Baring my teeth, I scraped lightly as I reached the base of his cock before quickly allowing my lips suction again. He hissed in response, so I did it again. And again.

Edmund's moans had become wild pants and he was muttering completely unintelligible words now. The bumping against the back of my throat was harder now as his cock lengthened. The further lifting of his balls was obvious each time as I swiped at them with my tongue. He was close. But he wasn't going to get off so easy.

With a satisfying pop, I released him from my mouth and immediately put my hand on him. Slathering my saliva up and down his rigid cock, I looked up at him. Edmund's head had been tilted back, practically slammed against the door. But now he was looking down at me. Switching hands, I kept up my quick stroking. The slippery slapping sounds made him moan and his eyes flutter briefly.

_No,_ I thought. _He's enjoying this far too much._

"Care to tell me about Heidi?"

"Wh-who's Heidi?" he stuttered, as I knew he would.

Edmund's eyes opened and flickered to mine before settling back on my stroking hands. My palms were glistening with spit and cum and I leaned in to suck the bead that was forming on his slit.

"Mmm… no Heidi here." I licked my lips. "Not anymore."

"N-never. Never again. P-promise." His words were low and verging on unintelligible again.

One advantage to working in a whore house was the uniform. Tight in all the right places but loose in others, always easy to get out of. Shimmying my shoulder a little, I was able to drop the low front of my blouse. The fabric settled just below my ample breasts, nipples deep red and pointed.

"You don't owe me any promises. After all, I'm just a whore. Like Heidi."

Without taking my hands off of him, I pushed my tits closer together with my arms. Guiding his cock, I let the head flick against my nipples. They lengthened even further at the touch and I watched Edmund's eyes grow. I wasn't the most well-endowed girl in the house but my tits were beautiful to look at. Once most men got an eyeful of how long my nipples were fully erect, they longed to tug and twist on them all night. It was equally as enjoyable for me, but it had been years since I found any true pleasure in it. Something told me that Edmund could make me cum just by fondling my tits.

_But first he needs to be punished._

Releasing his cock from my tortuous grip, I let it bounce against my nipples a few more times. Biting back a groan, I could feel the delicious curling low in my belly as I rose up from my knees. The fear that flickered in Edmund's eyes was not only unmistakable but also enticing. He was smart to be afraid. I could torture him in the most wonderful ways. Ways that he couldn't even begin to imagine.

Someone with less professional experience than myself might have struggled with the height difference, but I was always shorter than the men. Of course, we were usually laying down but each girl had to earn her room at the bordello. During my first sixteen months, I worked in hallways, closets and even the against the saloon's bar. I was nothing if not creative.

Threading my hands behind Edmund's shoulders, I tugged him down an inch or two. I was momentarily distracted by his lips and surprised by how much I wanted to kiss him. There were a lot of things in the bordello that cost extra, like threesomes and anal sex but kissing… I'd only had one customer ever able to afford kissing.

_Too intimate, too soon, too distracting._

Finding his burning green eyes, I focused my gaze on them before gracefully lifting my right leg. Matching the skill of any professional ballerina, I pressed my right heel against the door and rose to the tiptop of my left toes. I knew my flexibility was astounding and as Edmund took in the sight of my leg alongside his head, he was clearly impressed. Impressed and surprised.

Assuming a vertical split position was a bit over the top but it allowed the folds of my skirt to part perfectly. The dripping head of his cock was now lined up with my quivering pussy. Pressing his body harder against the door with my own, I lifted my hips just enough to take him in. Before he could take advantage of being sheathed within my tight pussy, I pulled back and almost let him out. Up and out, I continued rocking against him. My pace was picking up but I was only allowing his head to slip between my warm, wet folds. I knew the rest of his long cock was practically begging to come in because he was practically begging me. The whimpers of hot breath I could feel on my face were nothing compared to the look in his eyes. Pure desperation.

"You're not a whore." The words were quick and quiet, breathed onto my face in a rush.

"This is what whore's do," I said, rolling my hips as well as rocking them.

Edmund's eyes closed involuntarily and he panted before letting more words fall from his tongue. "Too good… feels too good."

I allowed myself to get slightly closer to him, my lips at his ear. "It's my job to make it feel good." I reminded him bitterly, resisting the urge to bite him.

"Better than good."

I'd let him slip in further and he groaned in appreciation. His hips were rising up to meet mine, lifting my left foot slightly off of the ground. Clenching my inner walls around his impressive length, I was immediately jealous of his lower lip as his teeth sunk into the flesh. I had to pull back, remove the temptation to kiss him. The movement angled my hips against his just enough. From this new position, the thick, round head of his cock hit a new spot inside of me. The trembling in my legs took me by surprise and I struggled to gain control. I was quick to steady each time he pulled out but as he drove back in, the coil in my belly threatened to unwind. Sharply sucking my breath in, I held it. I was desperate to keep my pleasure at bay. His too.

The slick sounds of his cock sliding into my pussy was growing louder than his panting grunts. He was getting too close. I had to make a decision before his talented cock hit my g-spot again. Each time I did it, I wavered. Coming closer and closer to exploding around him, I finally found the strength to stop. Swiftly sliding my leg back down to the ground, I almost gave in again. Still impaled on his cock, I'd closed tightly around him, holding him inside of me. Edmund's breath left him with a rushing sound and I involuntarily clenched around his pulsing cock. Just in time, I remembered my plan.

Stepping back, he slipped out of me. Harder and longer than before, his cock pointed straight up to the bewildered look on Edmund's face. Not bothering to get back on my knees, I bent over and sucked him down my throat again. His heady, manly scent mixed with my mildly sweet flavor as I cleaned him off. Dragging my tongue up and down his throbbing cock, I teased his balls each time I returned to the base. After his long shaft was clean, I worked my mouth in circles around his head. Sucking and licking, I wiped away every drop of my essence. Finally I dipped my tongue into his slit and slowly traced the small line up and down. I puckered my lips and sucked lightly, pulling another bead of cum from his gorgeous dick. And then I was done.

Placing my hands on either side of his hips, against the door, I pushed myself and up and back. Tracing a finger around my lips, I pulled that last of our arousal into my mouth and sucked lazily on my finger. Edmund's eyes were wide and his cock bounced lightly toward me, in an almost accusing manner.

"Now, that's proper bordello etiquette. Always clean up after yourself."

I stepped to the side and motioned toward the door handle. Edmund was too shocked to do anything other than move out of the way. His pants had fallen just below his hips, the open flaps spread in such a way that it looked like his cock was on display. Dragging my eyes away from it was the only way my mind would stop thinking about it. I looked back to his face and cracked the door open.

"But what about-" No more words came. He was speechless. At least he had the decency not to motion to his practically pleading member.

I smirked and ran a finger up my leg. Pulling my skirt just enough to expose my thigh, he watched intently as I dipped my other hand below the folds of fabric. Dragging my fingertips through the wet lips of my pussy to lightly brush my throbbing I clit, I moaned deeply.

"Don't worry about it. I can get myself off."

I fingered myself again before letting my skirt drop. As I slipped through the door, I made sure to adjust the top of my dress. But not before tugging sharply on my aroused nipples and moaning again. Playfully biting my lip, I returned my tits to their hiding place beneath the sheer fabric. Stepping back into the bordello, I let the door slam shut. Leaving Edmund behind, slack-jawed, excited and utterly desperate.

-0-0-0-

EPOV

As much as I hated cabs, I would've taken one if it meant more action with my Mystery Woman. But as luck would have it, when she dragged me out of the club – still painfully hard and wanting – my driver was quick to open the town car door. The woman who was practically dragging me along by my suspender strap was quick to make the detour into the dark leather cave of a car without hesitation.

I wasn't sure what brought on the blowjob in the alleyway or the near mind-blowing sex that followed it. And I was really confused as to why she didn't let me finish. Adding to the list of things I didn't quite understand was how my Mystery Woman knew the name of the date I'd brought to _Inspiration_. Heidi. Despite the many questions that this woman continued to generate, I was positive about one thing. I knew just what I was after when I followed her. Hell, I'd only agreed to accompany Heidi to the club in the hopes that I'd run into the sexy brunette that was quickly straddling my lap now that the car door had been closed.

As usual, the careful thought process that my brain was desperately trying to work through was at a complete loss. The brunette was perched high above my lap as I felt the smooth engine of the car kick into gear. We were moving and so was she. Retrieving my rock hard cock from the confines of my pants, she wrapped both hands firmly around my length. Tugging it upward, her eyes never left my cock and neither did mine. Her delicate hands grasping my favorite body part as I watched the blood strain and pulse through it was almost enough to bring to me to orgasm. But I had far more fun ways that I could cum. And I wasn't about to let the thin glass that separated us from the driver stop me.

My Mystery Woman was speaking and it took me a minute to comprehend just what she was saying. Something about Beacon Hill.

_Oh right, her address. Her address?_

I watched the silhouetted driver nod discreetly and suddenly the idea of being brought to orgasm in the town car didn't seem so appealing. If he could hear her, he would certainly hear the cries of passion I'd likely have her screaming. Not to mention any sounds that may come from me.

My surprise at her bringing me to her place was quickly replaced by relief. I was usually enough of a control freak that I liked all of my dalliances to occur on my terms, in my apartment. But I was still hoping to have an actual conversation with my Mystery Woman. She couldn't run away from me if we were at her place. And while she could kick me out, I'd still know where she lived. As anxious as she seemed to be to keep our trysts anonymous, I was even more determined to at least learn her name.

The cold air rushing in to replace the feeling of her warm hands on my cock was jarring.

_Pay attention, Edward._

My feeble little plot to unmask Mystery Woman was abandoned to the recesses of my mind. My cock would be completely pissed if I zoned out during one of our wild sex romps. I could plan later.

Her hands had left my dick but not my body. She'd unfastened the front clips of my suspenders and had wrapped her arms around my torso to get at the back ones. The look of concentration on her face would've been funny if it wasn't so damned sexy. Her eyes were wide and nose slightly wrinkled. At this distance I could make out a spattering of freckles across it. I wanted to kiss them. Glancing at her lips, I changed my priorities. I wanted to kiss her lips first. They were pink and plump. She wasn't wearing lipstick tonight. I knew from experience that her unadorned lips and aroused nipples were the same color. The softness of her bottom lip was tested by her teeth for a second before her tongue darted out over the disappearing indents. The marks left by her bite were slightly red and I wanted to suck on them. Before I could make my move, she'd moved. Sitting back, her hands came back to the front of my suspenders. Grasping one in either hand, she pulled. I lifted my back from the seat and felt the straps slide over my shoulders.

I could feel her inner thighs tighten on my legs and she rocked her hips into me as her hands got busy. Busy with my removed suspenders. She clipped the fasteners to the back of her skirt before attaching the front ones. My Mystery Woman looked up at my cocked eyebrow and tucked her chin down.

"Mind helping me out?"

Another glance of her big brown eyes and I understood what she was motioning too. The black leather laces of her vest. If you could call the scrap of fabric that barely covered her tits a vest. Happy to oblige, I grinned wide and let my hand brush the top curves of her breasts on my way to the laces. My smile grew when I heard her unbidden gasp from my touch. Tugging on the strip of leather, I let my other hand caress the side of her bare stomach. Her skin shivered under my touch and she leaned into my hand. The laces undone, I dragged my finger down her chest to further loosen it. Tracing the soft skin between her tits, I could feel how sweaty she was under the tight vest. Dipping the finger into my mouth, I hummed around her sweet taste.

_And that's just her sweat,_ I mused.

While I was busy tasting her, she had peeled the fabric away from her tits. And there were those pink puckered nipples I'd been dreaming about. She stretched her arms out to brush against the outside of my legs on her way to the slackened suspenders. Slipping her hands through them, she pulled them up onto her shoulders. The wide fabric of my favorite pair of suspenders settled just on the outside of her perky tits. Those sweet buds darkened slightly as they rubbed against the fabric. I very much liked the look of it. Grasping the suspenders close to the front clips, I tugged on them. They rubbed up and down her chest, causing her nipples to lengthen. It was too much. I needed my mouth on them. And from the shift in her hips, she needed it too.

Leaning forward, my mouth practically crashed into her chest. Sucking her left nipple into my mouth, I rolled my tongue around it, moaning. Pulling and licking, I closed my lips onto her flesh and bit lightly. Releasing my teeth, I lathed the tip of my tongue against the grooves I had pressed around her nipple. Sucking again, her hips bucked into mine. I didn't want to neglect her other nipple but wasn't quite done with this one yet. Tugging on the right suspender strap, I dragged the rough edge of it against her nearly forgotten nipple. Sliding my hand up the strap, I tugged again but this time pressed my thumb into it as well. Pulling her nipple against the fabric, I pulled again and again while still sucking deeply on her other one. I was well aware of her growing pants and gasps and decided to switch sides. Wetting her right nipple with my tongue, I alternated biting and sucking on it. Letting her slippery left nipple slide under my thumb and the suspender strap, I could tell she was getting close.

_And I haven't even touched her pussy yet,_ I congratulated myself.

My Mystery Woman threw her head back, thrusting her tits closer to me. Sliding down on the seat a little allowed my mouth perfect access without any straining. I was right at home with my mouth and hand on her tits and could easily enjoy my position all night.

But I didn't have all night. I had less than thirty seconds. I felt the car pull to a stop and could tell we weren't at a traffic light.

_Damn it._

Her place was a lot closer than mine. I immediately regretted not insisting we take the party to my place. After all, I was being a tad presumptuous that she would invite me up. Hell, I was already _up_ and I was hoping she'd be the one to take care of getting me down.

She rocked into my erection. Moaning into her breast, I sucked harder on her nipple before quickly doing the same on the other side. The car rocked a little as the driver got out. His footsteps were impossible to hear over Bella's growing screams and I pulled back to look at her flushed face. The long lashes of her closed eyes brushed against her skin and I watched the blush crawl down her neck and spread across her tits. With both hands on the suspender straps, I pulled them closer together. Rubbing the rough strips against her nipples, she bucked her hips into mine again. I answered her thrust and circled my thumbs over her pink peaks before sliding the suspenders against her sensitive skin again. It was obvious that her hips were moving of their own accord and I was anxious for her to cum. The driver had to be close enough to hear, his hand possibly on the door handle. Just as I heard the door click, my Mystery Woman cried out.

"Coming! Coming!"

The door remained shut and I furiously nipped and licked at her swollen and pointed nipples. Yanking sharply on the suspenders, I let my hands slip down to her skirt.

"Coming!" she screamed again. My driver clearly thought she was talking to him as the door stayed closed.

Her skirt was short enough that I was able to press my thumb into her clit without moving the fringe aside. The thin silk panties she wore did little to disguise her arousal. Blowing on her wet nipples and circling my thumb against her wet clit again had her falling over the edge. The scream was loud and long. What started out sounding like the word "coming" again quickly turned into something unintelligible. The tension in her body forced my hand closer. The movement had my painfully hard cock trapped underneath both and I couldn't help but rub some of the tension away. Her orgasm lasted long enough that I was full on stroking myself against my hand and her pussy when her eyes caught mine.

"Let me rub that for you," she whispered breathlessly.

Her skirt was lifted just enough that I could make out a slim finger pulling aside the soaked center of her panties. It would allow my cock perfect access to the beckoning folds of her wet heat. But I wanted more than a backseat fuck. And I sure as hell wanted a better look at her glorious pussy than that.

Lifting the suspenders an inch away from her chest, I let them fall against her tits with a sharp snap. They were wide enough to cover her still-aroused nipples. Grasping her hips, I lifted her from my lap and shook my head.

"I'm gonna take longer to cum than fifteen lousy minutes in a car."

Tucking my hard cock into my pants, I pushed the door open. Knowing enough to keep my hand on her, I dragged her onto the sidewalk after me. Pointing to the building in front of us, I threw her a questioning glance. She nodded and tucked herself in beside me as I waved the driver off.

"Those fifteen minutes weren't so lousy to me," she smirked as she reached down to slip a key out from her cowgirl boot.

With the door now open, she turned and pulled me into the building with a tight fist holding the unbuttoned flaps of my shirt together. I didn't close our distance too fast, getting another good look at those sexy boots.

"See something you like?" She started toward the stairs.

"Hell yes," I said. "The boots stay on."

**END A/N: A little extra citrus for being so patient! Soon, very soon Edward and Bella will finally get properly introduced. Correct names and all. The real question is, since Alice gave Edward some reading material to study before his meeting with Bella, just what do you think she gave him? Better yet, what do you want to read excerpts from? Here's the short list of Bella's novels that have been mentioned and/or excerpted (is that actually a word?) before:**

**"Phases of the Moon" starring Sam and Emily**

**"Stranded on Wolfe Island" starring Jacob and Vanessa**

**"Captive on Wolfe Island" sequel to "Stranded..." also starring Jacob and Vanessa and... someone else**

**"The Jessica Stanley Missions" starring Jessica and a whole lotta dreamy men**

**"Twilight on the River" starring gangster Edgar**

**"New Moon Saloon" starring cowboy Edmund**

**I appreciate any and all reviews... thanks again for reading!**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: So I'm posting a little early for completely selfish reasons. Some fantastic reader (come forward so I can thank you personally!) nominated this fic for one of the Fics Of The Week over at The Lemonade Stand. I'm a little late to the game, as there's only one day left to vote (voting ends 7/21/11) for your faves... but if you're so inclined, head on over and vote for The Secret of My Success! Vote at - tehlemonadestand . blogspot . com - just remove the spaces! Thanks for everyone who checks it out and votes!**

**Ooh, just one chapter away from a little meet 'n' greet with Bella and Edward.**

**Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own it.**

BPOV

The memory of last night coursed through my body like a fever. The pulsing heat was undulating through every muscle fiber but its source was unmistakable. My inner thighs clenched and twitched and grew just a little more wet each time I moved. Or breathed. Or thought of anything from last night. Well, almost anything. As hot as it had been to literally ride Jasper's impressive cock, just the thought of Emmett's penis of perfection was proving to be just about as potent as the real thing. I urged the detailed dreams of our encounter to return, willing myself to slip back into blissful slumber. But sleep was proving to be elusive and I couldn't quite remember if I'd unpacked Jake yet.

_Damn hotel._

I'd booked the weeklong stay at the Westin in anticipation of "Cocky Cowboy Night." My thought process was two-fold. If the night really sucked and Alice and Jasper didn't relent with the whispering and conspiring, I'd clear out for awhile to have some quiet space to work in. If it did work out, then I'd have a little piece of privacy in which to enjoy all that Jasper had to offer. Needless to say, having a hotel room waiting in my name was the perfect excuse to continue my night with Emmett after our quick encounter in the alley at Inspiration. I could maintain my anonymity and get off all under the ruse of "research."

And my plan had worked perfectly. Except for the absence of Jake. I was okay with getting up early, as the dim glowing light against my closed eyelids suggested. But if I was going to get up early, I might as well get some work done before that god awful meeting Alice had arranged for me with her PR firm. The pages would practically be writing themselves if I could just take care of my little arousal problem.

A sudden rush of cool air settled on my slightly sweaty legs. It was a welcome relief after the confines of the sheets. Stretching my toes, I felt my stomach stir again. Perhaps I could take care of my current situation without an assist from Jake. I let my hand slip down to rest on my bare hip bone before hesitating. In that moment, a wider grip than mine settled lower on my hips. The touch was light but took me by surprise. The slightest pressure stroked up the moist lips of my pussy. Pulling a staggered breath into my lungs did nothing to quell the fluttering in my stomach.

_Am I still dreaming?_

Stretching my fingers, I brushed the tingling skin of my inner thigh. Smooth but firm fingertips pressed into mine and this time the sensation against my slick folds was unmistakable. The rough texture of his tongue slowly dragged up the length of my pussy. The motion was a mere tracing of my lower lips, teasing and tasting. Another slip of his tongue from the center of my heat up caused my clit to throb. If only he'd press harder, slip his tongue deeper, then I would get some relief.

Digging my fingers into my leg, I knew he could feel my hand trying to inch closer. But his hand held firm on mine, holding me at bay. The warmth of his other large hand was slowly pushing my leg to the side. Spreading me wide, the bed creaked lightly as he shifted over me. I couldn't decide if I wanted to be dreaming or not. If I'd somehow managed to stumble back to sleep, than this could be anybody's tongue steadily bringing my heart rate up. My brain shuffled through the options like a deck of cards.

_Dark, cropped hair._

_Blond, tousled curls._

_Bronzed, sexy spikes._

His tongue drew smaller, more concentrated strokes right at my heated center. The rough, pointed tip of his tongue parted my lips and circled my inner wetness. The groan that rumbled in my chest, erupted at the same time my other hand made its move. Swift enough that he was unable to stop me, I dove my fingers into his hair. There's no way this was a dream. The soft, thick locks that tangled around my knuckles were definitely real. And in my bed. Holding him to me, I moaned again as his tongue slipped higher. Parting the lips of my pussy, he reached my clit and flicked it once, twice before returning lower again.

My eyes flew open and drew to the shock of copper that was highlighted by the hint of morning light. Thrusting my head back against the pillow, I tried to convince myself that it was the motion of his tongue that made my heart skip. Gasping, I scraped my nails into his scalp and was rewarded with a vibrating hum against my pussy. My other hand was still trapped under his on my leg. I took advantage of his grip and locked my fingers between his. Together we spread my leg just a little further away. Now he had complete access.

He loosened his grip just enough that I was able to bring both of my hands to his hair. His gloriously, sexy and utterly fucked hair. The night was now rushing back to me. Flashes of passion and snippets of toe-curling memories were coming nearly as quickly as I was. The circles he'd been making had expanded into a figure eight of sorts as he brought my clit into the party. Hard, slow strokes around my soaking entrance that quickly transitioned into fast, light flicks at my clit. My hips lifted each time he started over, rocking into his face. His continued humming was not only encouraging but unbelievably sexy.

My instant replay of last night slowed and simmered as the current passion overtook my body. Yanking on the gorgeous head of hair that was buried between my legs, I felt the quiver begin in my toes. Roiling waves crashed low in my stomach and the two sensations grew closer and closer to each other. Climbing up my legs, tensing the muscles along my inner thighs. Working down to my dripping pussy that was being thoroughly licked and sucked. The intense orgasm was fast and frantic. It was in direct contrast to the steady motion of Emmett's tongue against me.

His head twisted slightly side to side as he lapped up my juices. Slowing just a little, he slipped his hands up to grasp at my ribcage. The span of his hands was wide enough that the tip of his pinky fingers brushed against the ticklish spot of my lower back. His thumbs stretched across my chest and brushed closely to my pert nipples.

Another wave of flashbacks stormed into my head as he rubbed lightly against my pointed pink nubs. The magic he worked on my tits was almost enough to bring on another orgasm. Rocking my hips against the bed and his face, I could feel him smile as he continued to twist and turn his head. Settling on a new position, I felt his teeth scrape against my clit and shuddered out a stuttering cry. I had to let a hand fall to the sheets below my body so I didn't rip all the hair out of his head. Grazing my clit again with his teeth, his tongue expertly dipped into me, deeper than I would've thought possible. Withdrawing his tongue, he placed an intense open-mouthed kiss against my clit. His lips parted and he enveloped all of my wet heat into his mouth again. Pressing his tongue in and dragging his teeth against my sensitive bundle of nerves, I pulled frantically on his hair and the bed sheets. Panting and gasping with each thrust of his tongue, I continued to press my hips into his talented mouth. I was aware of the nonsensical words that were escaping my lips and his low chuckle that followed each outburst. But I was hardly self-conscious enough to care. After all, every vibration that came from his mouth only increased the pleasure in my body.

The rhythm he set with his teeth and tongue were rapidly setting another orgasm on course. The tingling his teeth sent shivering through my clit was just enough to bring me to the edge before he would thrust his erect tongue deep inside. I didn't know how he was twisting his tongue in the way that he was, but it was going to be my undoing. Imaging it working inside my mouth had me frantically biting at my lips. Tearing at the sheets below my body, it took every ounce of self-control to resist pulling his head up to mine. At least not before I came again.

As if reading my mind, he was suddenly gone. No tongue, no teeth. And worse… he wasn't moving to my mouth either. Forcing my eyes open, I glanced around in a panic.

_Shit. Had I been dreaming after all?_

Definitely not. The lopsided smirk on his handsome face was breathtaking. It was possible to make out the slight scruff on his jaw line that had created the most wonderful sensations on my body. My body that was suddenly left wanting and desperate. Desperate enough to talk to him.

"Uh… I've got a little problem going on over here…"

The mild shock on his face was unmistakable but brief. He recovered quickly and the grin returned. It was then that I realized we'd never really talked before. A few muttered lines here and there from me and anything he may have said was quickly filtered through my subconscious and filed for use when I sat down at my computer later on. I felt a blush rise on my face and tried unsuccessfully to tamp it down. After all, it's not like I never talked to Quil. Or Jasper. Hell, Jasper and I talked all the time. Bolstered by the brief self-pep talk, I squared my jaw and returned his playful smirk.

"So… about my problem…"

He had been sitting at the foot of the bed and rose to stand even further out of my reach. I didn't prefer him to be so far away, especially at the moment, but he was a gorgeous sight to look at. So tall and lean, just as muscular as Jasper, although I'd never really noticed it before. Of course, Emmett often wore clothes, so that might be why.

"Yeah, I've got my own problem. Not so little though." His hands were on his hips but a nod of his head was all the indication I needed. Hell, it was unnecessary with a cock like his.

Stiff, swollen and completely erect, I had to press my legs together quickly. The moisture that was threatening to drip down had to be quelled. Or relieved.

"How convenient." I shifted and let my hand slip down to rub lightly against the wet lips of my pussy.

He groaned and closed his eyes in response, shaking his head.

I wasn't the most experienced woman but was fairly certain I could get him jumping back into bed with just a few quick moves. His eyes were still closed and I saw the fingers of his right hand twitch ever so slightly. It was pretty obvious that he wanted nothing more than to stroke his cock at the sight of me on the verge of masturbating. Propping myself up on my elbow, I wanted to make sure I had a good view if he did. But instead of giving in, he finally opened his eyes and looked straight at mine. He bypassed even a sneaking glance at my slow but steadily-moving hand.

"Convenient, but not ideal." His eyes shifted to the bedside clock and by the time I'd glanced at the time – 5:42 – and back at him, he was already on the move.

The tight black boxer briefs did little to contain his incredible arousal but he was doing his best to ignore it. Shuffling around a bit, he managed to find his pants and get them on and up but still unzipped. Pulling the thin sheet over my naked lower body, I reluctantly placed both hands on top of it. The heat of my skin beneath the expensive fabric was burning into my palms as I rested them on my hipbones. As much as I didn't want him to leave, I was not above finishing myself off if I had to.

"I hate to be a cliché but..."

My habit of falling off into fantasy land had robbed me of the sight of Emmett's bare skin. His shirt was now on, half-buttoned and only partly tucked in. But sexy as hell.

"Let me guess. Early morning meeting?" The man was still trying to gather his belongings and here I was planning a morning of masturbation. The least I could do was have a little polite morning-after banter with him.

"Sadly," he said, shaking his head again but grinning. The same heart-stopping grin from before.

Sliding my way back to the headboard, I sat up a little more and pulled the sheet over the rest of my body.

"Please don't cover up on my account."

"Enjoying the view?"

"Immensely. But it was also a bit distracting. I might've walked out of here without any shoes on. A-ha!" His sudden exclamation was followed by his head ducking out of sight briefly.

When he returned to standing, he was holding a pair of black dress shoes in his hand.

"Success."

I pouted playfully. "Damn. There goes my plan to hold them hostage."

"I'm afraid I'm a forgone conclusion," he dropped his shoes to the floor and slipped his feet in. "I'd pay any ransom."

"You like the shoes that much?"

He shook his head and laughed while standing to cross the room. "It's not the shoes I like."

Reaching the side of the bed, he stuffed his hands into his pants pockets.

"You're right," I slowly surveyed the room, playing along. "This is one of the most elegant hotel suites I've ever been in."

When I looked back at him, he'd removed his hands from his pockets. It took me a second to realize that he'd dropped something on the bedside table. From where I lay, it looked like a wad of cash.

The flush was fast to fill my face this time and he immediately started stammering.

"F-for the cab ride! I swear, the cab ride! This isn't your place? I thought this was a condo or something! You don't live here?"

I shook my head and stifled a laugh at the same time. He continued to stutter his way through an apology and if possible, he suddenly looked even more handsome.

"So much for avoiding clichés," I said, as his melodic voice degenerated into choked gasps.

The giggle finally burst loose from my lips and the immediate relief that flooded his face made me laugh even harder.

"So you're not-"

"Mad? Hurt? Embarrassed?" I reached for the wad of cash. He tried to intercept me but I was a little closer than him and quickly counted through the singles. "Underappreciated?"

I waved the bills at him with a mock frown on my face.

"All the more proof it was for cab fare," he said, leaning in to take the money from me.

I quickly stuffed it under the sheet, far under the sheet.

"I'm sorry, there are no refunds. Unless you want to go in after it." I slipped my hands back to the surface of the sheet and wiggled my empty fingers at him.

"You are wickedly devious," he said. The half-cocked smirk that I preferred was back on his face. But it failed to reach his eyes, he was still concerned. "And really not upset?"

I shook my head again. "Maybe it's the multiple orgasms talking, but I think I'm okay with a little innocent misunderstanding."

Biting down on the crooked corner of his lips, he was quiet for a minute. His hands worked absently to button his shirt and tuck it in before he finally looked back to me. I had been waiting with a wide grin on my face, hoping it would inspire one of his own. Lucky for me, it worked. His perfect teeth peeked through his kissable lips and he leaned down, fists on the edge of the mattress.

"I have that early meeting and some other things but my schedule's open after three. Care to have another misunderstanding with me? I can't promise the 'little' or 'innocent' part though."

Letting the sheet drop from my chest, I crawled to my knees and used his stooped shoulders to steady my hands. This time his eyes weren't so well-behaved. He took a long, lingering glance at my exposed tits. Once I had my balance, I let my hands drop down to the waistband of his pants. Tugging on his shirttails, I pulled one side free.

"Definitely not little," I agreed. "But innocent… now that could be fun."

I appraised my work on his shirt and finding it satisfactorily sexy again, I sat back on my heels. Lifting the sheet to my collarbone, I tenderly bit my lip and lowered my eyelashes a bit. It was something one of my heroine's would've done and I felt a little ridiculous until I heard Emmett clear his throat. A swift hand reached down to his belt buckle and yanked on it briefly. He pulled his other hand through the bronzed mess on his head.

"Ahem," he cleared his throat again. "So three o'clock then?"

I nodded, blinking slowly to tease him a little further. I had the advantage of not having to get up yet, so I could enjoy watching him walk away. But he managed to keep eye contact with me as he stumbled backward toward the door.

"Three," he repeated to himself.

Another laugh escaped my lips and I broke character. "Three."

The door was open a few inches when he stopped. "What name do I ask for?"

I gestured to the door and he followed my hand to the brass number plate. Tapping his finger to it, he set his mouth into a tight line and quirked an eyebrow back at me.

"That's it? That's all I get? Your room number?"

"For now."

He chucked lowly and shook his head, stepping through the door and closing it behind him.

Sinking back onto the bed, I sighed loudly. The potent and intoxicating scent of sex with Emmett was still hanging in the air. And the throbbing between my legs had lessened but not dissipated completely. I wouldn't have been surprised if my brain was still frantically trying to remember which bag I'd packed Jake in. But it wasn't. I was thinking instead of the laptop waiting to be powered up in the other room. I was thinking about writing. And not just any writing, rewriting. Revising. Both novels were practically complete and it was about time I sat down and did some editing. Besides, both novels were still missing one key element. The very thing that suddenly seemed to be at the forefront of my mind. Names. Names for my heroines. I was no longer the leading lady in either story. Somehow, quite suddenly, they became third person characters quite separate from myself.

-0-0-0-

_Nearly four hours later…_

The offices of Cullen Creative were located just a few blocks from my hotel, through Copley Square. But I'd lost track of time as I introduced my amorous leading men to the objects of their affection. The revisions had gone well – I anticipated sending files off to Liz within a few days – but they had definitely gotten a little out of hand. I was over half an hour late for my dreaded meeting with Edward Cullen. Despite having booked a hotel nearby, with every step I felt I was wasting precious time. Not Mr. Cullen's time, mind you. Mine. The whole "innocence" angle Emmett and I had been discussing this morning was still swimming around my subconscious and I felt new ideas beginning to form. Hell, I could have three new novels to present to Liz if I played my cards right. Not exactly what I had in mind when I stood my ground on the whole "serious novel" business, but who was I to turn down inspiration?

Luckily the office building was less than a dozen floors high and the elevator was quick. I felt awkwardly empty-handed as I approached the receptionist's desk. Perhaps I should have brought some of my work with me. A list of accolades and awards. Then again, that might make it seem as though I actually cared about the whole coming out idea. And if I knew Alice, she probably had all of my books couriered over last week.

"Can I help you?" the receptionist smiled politely, a discreet earpiece tucked in.

I paused, never quite sure I'm the one being addressed when someone is constantly attached to a phone. Her smile remained, eyes intent on me.

_Yup, she must mean me._

"I have a meeting with Mr. Cullen at nine. Had a meeting. I'm running a little late."

The smile never wavered as she glanced to her computer screen.

"Which Mr. Cullen?"

"Oh, of course," I said, feeling completely ridiculous. "Edward. Edward Cullen."

A few clicks on her keyboard and I looked around the open lobby area. Maybe if I was late enough he'd be in another meeting. We'd have to reschedule. There didn't appear to be anyone else waiting for a meeting and soon enough the receptionist was looking at me again.

"His office is to your left, at the end of the hall."

Her open-handed gesture granted me permission to proceed to the meeting.

_Damn. _

As I passed through the wide doorway of the lobby into the adjoining hallway, my shoes clicked loudly on the pale wooden floors. Speeding my steps only added to the noise. I felt as though they were announcing my inexcusably late arrival.

_Where is the hustle and bustle that usually happens in an office? Why is it so quiet here? Why the hell are my shoes getting louder?_

The floor plan was fairly open. Most of the offices had large glass panels instead of proper walls, so despite the quiet I could still see that there were plenty of people at work.

The hallway was shorter than I thought and opened to a larger area accompanied by an unattended desk. The stack of papers and feathering of post-it notes could only mean this was his assistant's desk. The large wooden door to my left was hard to ignore. It had a brass nameplate that was stamped in capital letters: "E. CULLEN"

_Well, that could be confusing,_ I thought. _How many people show up for an appointment with Emmett and end up meeting Edward?_

Something told me it might be the Cullen's way of keeping potential clients on their toes.

_A little sense of humor never hurt anyone,_ I thought, smiling.

Taking a short breath in and holding it, I let loose with a light knock on the door.

**END A/N: Augh! A cliffhanger! So not my style, but I had to do it. Sorry! Hope the lemon will get you through the disappointment... and keep you holding on till next week. Thanks for reading and reviewing, as always!**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Last chapter before the big meeting! I promise! Sorry for the delay in updating but I've got a brand new 7lb 8oz excuse to blame it on! Will post the big meeting soon... thanks for your patience everyone!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

EPOV

The office was painfully quiet. Despite the twenty minute cab ride home for a quick shower and fresh clothes, I still got to the office earlier than usual. But I couldn't help it. I wanted to get to work. Get through my meetings. Get to three o'clock. Get back to the hotel.

_Why a hotel? Doesn't she live here? Have an apartment in the city? Did she book the hotel with me in mind? Will she finally tell me her name? Would she say 'yes' to dinner? To a date?_

The list of questions I had for my Mystery Woman was growing by the minute. I'd already begun negotiations between my brain and cock. Sure, I'd promised her an orgasm after leaving her high and dry this morning and I wanted at least one of my own as well. But first we'd talk. I felt slightly hopefully after narrowly escaping her advances just hours earlier.

So now I was living for three o'clock. And I realized the longer I stayed away from work, the more I thought about three o'clock. And the more I thought about three o'clock, the more I felt like some hormonal teenager. This wasn't exactly junior year biology I was dealing with. I had an actual business to run with serious meetings and well-paying clients to tend to. The early morning meeting I told my Mystery Woman about wasn't exactly a whole truth. My first appointment wasn't actually scheduled until nine o'clock but Emmett and I usually pow-wowed on Monday mornings before the workweek started. And my nine o'clock was a favor to Alice. She was the only person I could think of who would saddle me with mounds of homework for a favor.

The meeting was with a writer friend of hers who apparently was already published, under a penname. Alice and her friend's editor seemed to be pushing her to have a big release party for her latest book, complete with appearances and real name and all. Apparently my job was to convince her this was in her best interest. Tell her about the amazing book-signings, fantastic parties, ego-building conventions that were all within my power to arrange. Not that I was opposed to the work, but one look at the stack of reading material Alice had couriered over left me a little lightheaded. It was an impressive haul but the book on the very top of the stack was titled, "Phases of the Moon" and had the most ridiculous cover art I'd ever seen in my life. A dark-skinned, unbelievably muscular man with short, dark cropped hair was standing front and center. His fists were clenched menacingly at his sides. And the sneer on his face made me think the model must have been growling when the photo was taken. What little he was wearing was torn and shredded. Whatever he'd been through, it had clearly gotten the girl behind him too. She was wearing a very thin, equally decimated white dress. She was dark-skinned too with flowing black hair but there was very little of her to be seen behind the hulk of a man dominating the cover. On the visible side of her face was a slicing scar that ran down her cheekbone. Despite it, she was still quite beautiful. It was a shame she was practically hiding behind the angry guy. It looked like the thin strap of her dress was missing on one side and I was pretty sure she'd have one full tit exposed if the damn hulk would just move a little to his right. No amount of turning the cover side to side could persuade him to move. But it did make the silver lettering of the title sparkle.

With a sigh I dropped the book to my desk. I hoped Alice didn't expect me to read the whole thing. Doing research was just fine. Reading through this stack of girl porn was a bit much. One or two chapters… total, would probably suffice. I glanced at the silvery name on the front cover. Renee Dwyer. Perhaps Google could handle the research for me.

Opening my laptop, I powered up and waited. It was then that I noticed Emmett standing in my doorway. Silent.

"Jesus, Em. How long you been standing there?"

He was slow to enter the room. Dropping his body into his usual chair just behind the door, I noticed how thin he looked. While Emmett and I certainly looked like brothers, we rarely looked like twins. But his apparent weight loss brought our stature a little closer to it. I wasn't without muscle tone but had never been able to match Emmett's ability to bulk up. Now though, we almost looked more like twins than we had the day we came home from the hospital. He also looked tired. Dull, plum-colored bruises shadowed his eyes. There was just one physical characteristic that looked out of place: the wide, bright smile on his face. Leaning forward, his elbows on his thighs, Emmett actually looked happy despite being tired and undernourished.

"What's going on, brother?" I questioned.

"I have a meeting with Dr. Hale," Emmett said.

"Rosalie?" I asked, in disbelief.

He nodded excitedly, rubbing his wide hands together.

"What about, Em? Is she suing Alice or something?"

"No, no, nothing like that." He chuckled, shaking his head.

"Is she suing me?"

"She's not suing anyone. It's about the hospital masquerade charity ball." Emmett's eyes were practically gleaming.

"Why the hell are you pursing the hospital ball? That's not really our scene. And Rosalie… I don't know…" I bit on my lip and gave Emmett another long look. "What is it with you and her?"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing." His answer was quiet, almost spoken to himself. Then, even quieter, I could've sworn I heard him say, "Yet."

Leaning back in my chair, I tucked my hands behind my head and swiveled slightly.

"I don't know, Em. I'd rather not cross paths with Dr. Hale again anytime soon. I had the misfortune of talking to her last night and that was too soon for me. If I have to see her again this year, I'll have filled my lifetime quota of her."

His eyes jerked up to meet mine. "You saw her last night? Talked to her?"

"Yeah, at Alice's. Heidi was at a bachelorette party there on Saturday and practically dragged me with her last night-"

"She was at the club?" Emmett's smile disappeared, worry flooded his eyes.

"Who, Heidi? Yeah, she invited me." I said. "Shit. I guess I should give her a call. I'm pretty sure I was her ride last night-"

"No," Emmett rolled his eyes. "Rosalie. She was there?"

"Oh yeah, why?"

"Dammit. The little pixie beat me to it. Did she say why she was there?" Emmett answered my question with a question.

"Beats me. Why Alice would even want her there after what happened-"

"Did Alice say anything about the ball? The charity ball?" Emmett was verging on panic now.

"I don't know. Maybe. It was really loud and there were other… distractions."

Emmett rose quickly, the fierceness with which he moved betraying how tired he looked.

"What's up? Where are you going?" I practically yelled after Emmett as he left my office. If he answered me, he was too far down the hall for me to hear him.

It was a few minutes later that James stuck his head in the doorway.

"Morning, James."

"Good morning, Edward. I see you got the stack of reading material that Ms. Dwyer had sent over." He had a broad smile on his face as he gestured toward the romance novels currently cluttering my desk.

"Uh huh," I turned my attention to my laptop that had finished booting up. Typing in my password, I realized James was still lingering in my doorway. "Was there something else?"

"Um… no. Just… have you read any of them yet?" James asked.

"No and I doubt I'll get through more than a few pages. Too bad they don't have cliff notes for trash novels, huh?" I smirked up at him only to notice the deep blush set in across his cheeks.

I pushed back from my desk a little and looked James square on.

"You wouldn't happen to know anyone whose read these… would you?" I hedged.

The blush would've reached his frosted tips by now if that were possible. Turning his sarcasm on full blast, James planted a hand on his thrust out hip.

"I'm gay as the day is long, Edward. Of course I've read them. Straight chick-lit porn is standard foreplay protocol before I take it up the ass."

Laughing hard, I had to drop the front legs of my chair back to the floor before I fell over.

"That was entirely too much information, James. But I'll tell you what. If you can give me a concise little post-it on each of these, I'll get her to sign them for you."

James bounced on his toes. "I knew it! You're meeting her! Renee Dwyer, oh my god! This is so cool. Laurent is gonna freak!"

He practically pirouetted out of my office, and I quickly opened a browser window. I was suddenly incredibly curious as to who this Renee Dwyer might be. A nagging suspicion tugged at the back of my brain. Alice shared a last name with the author. Was it possible she was Renee Dwyer? She was the busiest woman I knew, I wouldn't be surprised if she also kept up a secret career as a successful novelist in her spare time.

The search yielded no photos but plenty of hits. Whole blogs and websites were devoted to following the apparently legendary work of one Ms. Renee Dwyer. From the banners heading up several of the websites, I got my first clue as to the type of literature I had sitting on my desk. Had I known I could've seen this many pornographic images just by typing her name into Google, I probably would've done it a long time ago. After all, I was essentially looking at porn for work.

Once I scrolled down past the explicit graphics, I was surprised to find a wealth of useful information. Everything from forums speculating to Renee Dwyer's true identity to fan fiction built around her most popular characters. A detailed bibliography on one site listed nearly a dozen books, more than Alice had given me. Her debut novel was the one with the half-naked man-giant on the cover that was just inches from my hand. Doing a quick check on the rest of the stack, I saw that Alice had actually managed to get me an advance copy of the latest book in "The Jessica Stanley Missions" series. Something that was a phenomena in its own right as it had several websites dedicated solely to it. There were also some loose leaf notes bound together that appeared to be the very latest Renee Dwyer novel. My thought that Renee Dwyer and Alice Dwyer might be the same person didn't seem so far fetched all of a sudden. Who else would have such easy access to unedited and unknown material? According to the most recent news on any of the sites, Renee Dwyer was taking an indefinite hiatus. From where I sat, it looked like Renee Dwyer was hard at work on at least two new novels. Not quite a hiatus, in my mind.

Twenty minutes flew by as I clicked through some of the racier sites and I realized my "work" was getting away from me. That and I was a little more than turned on. In fact, I'd only glanced at the clock to see if it was any closer to three. It was, but that also meant it was closer to nine and I had a meeting to attend to first before I took care of other matters. Finally closing the browser windows, I picked up "Phases of the Moon" again. Squinting a little, I could easily place my Mystery Woman behind the muscled man and suddenly I was curious enough to crack the spine while waiting for James' plot summary post-its.

_A little reading couldn't hurt,_ I thought as I pushed back from the desk a little. My left hand dropped onto my lap and I quickly replaced it on my desk. My cock jumped at the slightest hint of physical contact after all the visual stimulation online. The last thing I needed to do was have James catch me stroking one out to his beloved smut novels. Suddenly I was hesitant to open the book.

_Maybe I should look over the Sprint wrap sheet instead._

I tapped my finger on the tanned abs of the cover model. I was being ridiculous.

_It's a harmless little romance novel. How bad could the first chapter be? Probably all, "Once upon a time there was a princess who was stuck in a castle tower…" Nothing incredibly sexy about that._

Faith that my fickle dick could manage some minor plot exposition, I opened the book and started reading.

-0-0-0-

_There was something in the woods. _

_The elders had been warning everyone on the reservation about it for weeks now. It carried the same wide-eyed, spooky-voiced message that most words passed down by the council did. And Emily ignored it just like every other thing the elders said. It was easy to tune them out. The chief was her father. What seventeen year old girl listened to her father anyway?_

_Even though the many council-imposed rules weren't actually written down anywhere, they were quite easy to commit to memory. Everyone living on Quileute land was required to attend the weekly campfire meetings that took place atop La Push Mountain. The recently expanded list now included several guidelines to take into account the strange activity in the forest. The long and short of it was: get inside before sundown, lock your doors, close your windows and don't venture outside until daybreak._

_Such advice was easy to adhere to during the last, long days of winter but as the breeze turned warm off the Pacific Ocean, Emily found little reason to stay cooped up inside. While it wasn't quite warm enough yet for midnight skinny dipping, the salty wind that gusted through her window at night was too sweet to shut out. Oblivious to her father's pleased smile, Emily retreated to her bedroom for the night quite early. It was behind her locked door that she changed into her favorite white nightgown. The fabric was soft from years of wear and felt like the ocean breeze itself wrapped around her naked body. Silently slipping her tall bedroom window open, Emily relished the sensation of loose fabric buffeting around her body. Silhouetted in the wide window, every inch of Emily's russet skin could be seen through the thin nightgown. Deep in the woods at the edge of the chief's property, something was watching._

_It was well past midnight when the figure entered Emily's bedroom. Silently the shadow that eclipsed the dim moonlight grew larger and larger over Emily's sleeping body on the bed. Her nightgown had twisted around her hips, exposing her slim thighs to the growing shadow. The looming dark was weightless as it stretched to cover Emily's entire bed. From her relaxed slumber, Emily stirred slightly. The air had become heavy, thick and musky. The sweetness of the ocean breeze had transformed into something more intense, masculine almost. The flickering awareness in Emily's subconscious caused her nipples to harden. A sleepy moan escaped her lips and she brushed a hand across her aroused peaks. The slow but crushing weight that fell over her body so completely forced her to open her eyes._

_He swallowed the surprising gasp that threatened to escape Emily's lips with a searing kiss. Melting into the strong warmth of the stranger's tongue, Emily opened her mouth wider. Lifting her head from the pillow, Emily was desperate to deepen the kiss. His hands were even warmer than his tongue. As if on fire. The large pads of his fingers were rough and raised goose bumps on Emily's flesh as they trailed down to her exposed legs. Arching his back, the stranger thrust his throbbing hot cock into her warm heat with the next slip of his tongue. Pumping and pushing, harder and harder, Emily broke her mouth free. Gasping at the heated air around them, Emily fought to catch her breath as the orgasm overtook her. Shaking and clenching her legs firmly around the muscular back of the stranger, Emily gave in completely._

_His thrusting slowed briefly before he pulled back. Emily whimpered at the near loss of his flaming cock but he kept just the head dipping slowly in and out of her dripping pussy. Pulling the moisture of her orgasm out of her, he shifted back onto his heels. Pushing Emily's legs up on the bed, her knees bent and dropped further apart. Rising up off of his heels, the stranger pumped a little deeper into her pussy as it slowly stopped pulsing. Stretching against her tight inner walls, the stranger pushed high and deep. Emily's gasps became panted whimpers as she clutched at his back. Her nails failed to find purchase on his sculpted shoulders and she quickly spiraled out of control again. The stranger's thick cock stilled as it was squeezed tightly by Emily's orgasming inner walls. _

_The fine mist of sweat that decorated Emily's face and chest was only increasing the heat she felt from the man on top of her. Lathing his long tongue across her collar bone, Emily whimpered again. The fine point of his tongue dipped lower, circling one taut nipple after another. She could feel herself building again already. His movements were speeding up as well. Pulling back again, he lifted her legs over his shoulders and thrust wildly for a few minutes. Emily was sure another orgasm was about to explode just as he changed angles. Pressing her legs hard into the bed beneath them, the stranger locked his knees outside of hers. With Emily's legs pressed tightly together, the stranger's cock was buried deep within her. Just pulling out halfway would have proven to be a struggle for any man. But this man was something otherworldly. The rhythm and strength of his rocking was just as forceful as before. His tongue returned to her tits and she bit at the flesh on his neck. He tasted like earth, fresh and wet. She couldn't stop herself from biting harder and he growled in response. The head of his enormous cock forced open the innermost chambers of Emily's sacred heat. Each new spot garnered a moan or muffled scream from her red lips. This time it wasn't just her pleasure that was building. His was too. The stranger thrust and pushed, growling and biting down on Emily's sensitive nipples. She shuddered under the feeling of his sharp teeth but couldn't find a reason to stop him. His hands moved to embrace her face, palms on her jawbone and fingertips tangled in her hair. Scratching at her scalp, Emily answered with her own hair pulling hands. The rocking of their hips had become so fevered that Emily couldn't keep pace anymore. Her legs had given out from the multiple orgasms. The intense coils of pleasure that were winding tighter and tighter within were making any other movement nearly impossible. She craved a release. Her body demanded it. _

_The growling and panting from the stranger had taken on an animal-like quality. Emily was feeling feverish inside and out as the weight of the stranger bore down on her. He made little work of biting her tits as they bounced furiously with the motion of their connected hips. He kept his mouth open and let his teeth graze across her sweet, pointed nipples each time he thrust his cock into her. Finally it all became too much. The pleasure peaked and it took just one last touch of his sharp teeth to make her come undone. He joined her in orgasm, shaking the creaky bed to an ear-piercing crescendo. Gripping her face tightly, the stranger dragged a hand down the side of her lovely skin. _

_The rush of cold air was sudden and almost painful as it settled across her burning, sweaty skin. Emily sat with a start. Her nightgown was on the floor. She glanced around the dark room in confusion. The only movement came from the long curtains that stretched into the room on the ocean breeze. She was breathing hard. Pressing a hand to her dewy chest, Emily felt her nipples peak and tighten in the cool air. After several minutes, her desperate gasping became less so. Feeling her heartbeat slow, Emily grasped at a close memory. It slipped into the shadows of her mind and still she pursued it. The breeze outside shifted and pulled her curtains out into the dark night, whipping against the black sky. Emily felt the elusive memory escape at the same time. Relaxing her furrowed brow, Emily sunk back onto her damp pillow. Rolling to her side she was quick to find sleep. In the morning she would be shocked to find the deep gashes that now striped her lovely face._

-0-0-0-

EPOV

"James?"

This was the third time I'd called his name through the intercom on my phone in the last five minutes. Where the hell was he?

_Probably doing something work related._

_What I'm doing is work related,_ I thought defensively. Arguing with myself was never a good sign.

"Sorry, sir." James' voice crackled through my phone.

"Oh, no problem… I just, uh – I just had a question…" Suddenly this didn't seem like such a good idea.

"Yes, sir." I could hear the smile in his voice.

"Uh, well… entirely for research purposes, of course…"

"Yes, sir." There it was again. Only it was definitely a smirk now.

I sighed loudly and dropped my head into my hand. "Is Sam really a werewolf?"

James neglected to take his hand off the intercom button fast enough, I still managed to hear his laughter erupt. I cringed, trying to take it like a man. It was pointless to try to save face now. And besides, I really wanted to know.

"James. James."

There was a pause and then the intercom picked up. "Sorry, sir, I- uh… dropped something." His laughter still wasn't well disguised.

"Shut the hell up and just tell me, James." I said, turning the book over in my hand. "The council's all 'there's a werewolf hunting in our woods' but Emily's quite good at describing his bare, bronzed chest. I mean, what are the odds that-"

"Edward?"

I was so distracted, flipping through the book and speaking over the intercom that I failed to notice James standing in the doorway to my office. It was a lot easier to have this discussion when there was a wall between us. Face to face was a different story altogether. I looked up at him before quickly glancing back to the book. Using my thumb to turn a few pages, I picked up a pen and pretended I was taking notes. Business-related notes.

"Just read the damn book. I'm not going to ruin it for you."

The scowl rose on my face against my will. Dammit. I really wanted to know.

"Fine," I said, slamming the book down.

James glanced at his wrist. "Or you could just ask the author… in about ten minutes."

Apparently giddiness overrode smugness in James' book. Whatever teasing he may have been planning for me in the near future was clearly on the back burner. He was hopping on his toes again as he left my office to get back to work.

I looked over the mess on my desk. Several browser windows were still open on my desktop, all with Renee Dwyer's name in the header. After placing a few strategic bookmarks on the more notable websites, I closed them. Turning to the array of books on my desk, I took more time than was necessary to make them look untouched on the corner of my desk.

I'd all but finished "Phases of the Moon" and if James had just told me whether or not Sam was actually a werewolf, I would have been done with it. Of course now I'd have to find some time later to finish it. Not wanting to take too many cues from James, it did seem like the perfect reading material to share with a certain someone staying at a nearby hotel. Not that my Mystery Woman needed any encouragement when it came to sex, but she definitely seemed like she'd be up for anything. A little role playing never hurt anyone.

I had started on the latest, unpublished Jessica Stanley novel but had been not-so-subtly tsked by James for doing so without having read the preceding books. It was getting a little annoying to listen to his constant throat-clearing as he found more and more work to do within my office that I finally decided to pick up the first in the Jessica Stanley series. It was a good thing he left me alone after that because that was one hot book. Once again, the words "role play" sprang to mind. Mystery Woman's name could be Jessica. Why not? It was a fairly common name.

The books were all very quick reads but proved to be just as addicting as Renee Dwyer's legions of fans claimed they were. Wanting to be up to speed for the meeting, I'd read through the notes for her two latest novels. They were definitely rough drafts but the promise of red hot passion was there too.

I'd realized partway through reading those rough drafts that there was no way Alice could be Renee Dwyer. After all, the goal of this meeting was to try and convince Renee to drop her penname and have a huge coming out event in conjunction with her latest book release. If Alice wanted Renee outed, she probably wasn't Renee. I had a vague memory of Alice mentioning a sister prior to the opening of _Inspiration_ but had yet to be introduced. I was pretty sure I'd recognize another hyper pixie in the few times I'd been to the club, but then again I was always pretty well distracted when I did stop by.

_Alice's club has been very good to me,_ I thought, smiling.

Aside from my business allegiance to Alice, I'd suddenly found myself very interested in planning a book signing event or two for Renee. One of her new books was set on a riverboat. The locale alone lent itself to various possibilities. The other book was set in a bordello in the wild west, not unlike the one _Inspiration_ had been converted to just last night. Perhaps that was Alice's way of proving just how feasible – and sexy – these events could be. But either way, I was sold. God knows, "Cocky Cowboy Night" had worked out rather well for me.

Another glance at my wall clock and I was disappointed to find I still had over five hours before reuniting with my Mystery Woman.

_Wait a minute._

It was nine-forty-five. Renee Dwyer had been due in my office over half an hour ago. Had I known she was going to be late, I might've finished "Phases of the Moon" before she showed.

_Damn._

My finger hovered over the intercom button. I was going to enjoy knocking James' idol down a few pegs. It was then that I heard a knock on my office door. It would be odd for someone to knock. Not only did everyone in the building just barge in whenever they wanted, but James always announced my clients. Unless he was away from his desk.

"Come in," I called.

The woman standing in the doorway to my office bore a striking resemblance to the memory my brain chose to insert on every half-naked female cover model of the books in front of me. My Mystery Woman.

Even from across the room I could make out the slight wrinkle that appeared between her eyes as she took a few slow steps forward.

_Holy fuck! It's really her. She's here! She's-_

"Renee?" I asked.

She spoke at the same time. "Emmett?"

**END A/N: How did we like Edward's "research"? Sorry 'bout the cliffie... soon, soon, soon! Thanks as always for reading!**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Ta da! The big meeting... finally! Fair warning... there are NO lemons in this chapter! So I understand if you skip it. :P**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Twilight still.**

EPOV

"_Renee?" I asked._

_She spoke at the same time. "Emmett?"_

"Edward," I corrected her. It was a common mistake.

Emmett and I purposely kept all of our company information limited to our first initial and last name. It allowed us to be a little more flexible in dealing with clients. Most people who walked in the door had an appointment with Mr. E. Cullen. Which "E" they would meet with was often up in the air until the day of the meeting.

Her blush went straight to my cock. The confusion swirling around my brain automatically lessened. Lust nearly crowded it out. Before I could straighten my thoughts enough to speak, she did.

"Renee," she said. The embarrassed nod she directed at me was followed by a long, delicate finger that she shyly pointed to her face.

I raised, my chair clattering behind me and my legs slamming into the edge of my desk. I buckled forward, reaching toward the towering stack of books.

"Renee Dwyer? This is you?"

Apparently I was using up the anxious bumbling quota for the square footage of my office. Because she stepped confidently into the room and extended a sure hand when she reached my desk.

"Actually, I'm Bella. Bella Swan."

Her hand was still extended. I couldn't figure out why.

"Renee Dwyer lives on my computer," she said with a smile.

She bobbed her hand a little and I finally figured it out.

_Oh! She wants to shake my hand! Make the introduction official and all._

Raising my hand to hers, I took advantage of her eyes drawing to it to compose myself. Firmly planting my trademark smirk on my face, I grasped her tiny hand and introduced myself. Finally.

"Edward Cullen. Nice to meet you, Bella Swan. Very nice to finally meet you."

Her eyes shot up to mine and the blush was back. Confident Bella retreated, leaving Shy Bella in her wake.

_Bella._

It was nice to have a name to go with her face. And everything else.

I motioned for her to sit and took my time looking her over as she did so. Ever the gentleman, I sat after her and was happy to see that my panty-melting smirk was doing its trick. I had her quiet and slightly flustered. Making her uncomfortable was not my goal, but having the upper hand was. That was always my objective. And rarely one I succeeded at in her presence.

"Well, I must say… I'm a little disappointed I won't be meeting Renee Dwyer," I said.

"You are?" she said.

I pointed to the books. "She sounds like she knows how to have a good time."

Bella crossed her arms over her chest, settling back into the chair. "She does, does she?" She mirrored my crooked smile. It was something that happened often. Most women I bedded tried to turn its charms back on me but it had never worked. Until now.

The cocky grin made her look entirely kissable… among other things. I cleared my throat and moved my eyes back up to hers.

"Definitely. Nighty-shredding sex. Crotchless leather panties. Blow jobs at the poker table. Well, near-blow jobs anyway."

Bella bit her lip, eyes trained on the unedited pages piled near my keyboard. Traces of the smirk played on her face. Suddenly she was looking at me. Dark, warm eyes searching mine.

"Well she does make it up to him during the conjugal visit."

My hand was already on the papers, flipping through them.

"He goes to jail? There's a conju-"

Reaching the end of the notes, I realized she had me. Not only does the scene end with cops raiding the riverboat without mention of arrests or jail, but Bella's found me out. She knows I've read it. Read it and gotten invested in it, apparently. Letting the pages flop back to my desk, I sigh and lean back.

"No one will ever accuse me of being unprepared for a meeting."

Bella let loose with a loud laugh and nodded. "Preparedness is an underrated quality."

She could be speaking about herself. I'd never been with a girl so stealthy with a condom before.

"Speaking of preparedness… how did you-"

I didn't realize I had leaned forward until Bella matched my stance. Her arms crossed on my desk as she shook her head.

"Business, Edward. This is a business meeting. Isn't there something you're supposed to be talking me into?"

"Into… out of… let's just say the topic of our meeting wouldn't be my first choice."

"Mine either."

I quirked an eyebrow. Surely my insinuation was clear. I'd gladly shelve the meeting and get freaky with her on my desk right about now. And if I heard her correctly, she was suggesting the same thing. It was then that her blush returned. Again.

"I'm sorry Alice wasted your time. I already told her I had no interest in coming out." Her eyes were cast downward and her voice was a little softer. "I have a serious novel that I'm working on and I'd really like to get separate recognition for that. I'm not looking for a bestseller off the juicy tidbit that I'm also a famous smut novelist."

"So delay the serious novel a bit. Publish 'New Moon Saloon' and have a release party similar to the scene Alice had at the club last night. I wouldn't mind doing that again."

"Had fun, did you?" She asked.

"Well, an actual blow job as opposed to a near-blow job would have been nice." I tapped the pages in front of me. "I can sympathize with Edgar."

It was only when I said it that something starting nagging in the back of my mind. Chasing the elusive thought made me miss the next thing Bella said.

"I'm sorry?"

She waved her hand at me, dismissing the words I failed to hear. Before I could press her further, she had changed the subject.

"Let's continue to pretend we're having a meeting, shall we?"

If she could play this game, so could I.

"You've not published the serious novel yet?"

Bella shook her head. A slight stunned look crossed her eyes. Could it be that she didn't quite believe Business Edward was in the building?

"Why can't you come out and get your due credit for Renee Dwyer's worldwide success and then publish the other novel under a penname?"

She sighed heavily and sunk back into the chair. Whatever her reason it had to be good. To warrant a reaction like that. Contrary to everything she knew about me thus far, I could actually be patient. I would wait for her to speak before offering anything else. Finally she shrugged.

"I don't know." She half-laughed as she spoke. "This is so stupid. You're right. That's a great plan and I have no good reason not to do that. It's just…"

I could be patient, but I could also be intuitive. "It's just not what you want to do."

She bit her lip and nodded, looking into my eyes. I hoped she could see the understanding that was there and not the lust simmering just under the surface. So far I was keeping it under control.

"You would stand to a make a lot of money out of a tour unveiling your identity. Especially if you did it in conjunction with the release of not one, but two new novels."

"It's never about money."

"Isn't it?"

Bella shook her head shyly. She was being honest, it wasn't about the money for her.

"Too shy?"

"Excuse me?" She asked.

"Are you too shy to put your face on this?" I held up "Phases of the Moon" and tapped the back cover. "If we weren't pretending to have a meeting, I would be inclined to suggest you'd never be too shy for anything. Just for the record."

Bella turned my smirk on me again and I briefly considered giving it to her. She clearly owned it better than I ever did.

"What I mean to say is, perhaps you wouldn't want mom to stumble across this at Barnes and Noble…"

Laughter tumbled from her lips again and she shook as she spoke. "Renee Dwyer is my mom. Stepmom."

"Well, all the more embarrassing, no?"

"No," she said, stifling the laughter a bit. "No. She knows. If anything, she'd be pissed."

"Worried about getting grounded?" I asked, playfully.

"Uh, no. That was never my stepmom's style. No, she likes the perks that come with having her name mistaken for a bestselling author's. The fact that the novels are erotic romance are just icing on the cake."

Leaning back, I lifted a finger to trace across my lower lip.

"It's not about the money or being too shy. Anonymity?"

"How many writers get mobbed walking down the street?"

"True," I said. "Forgoing a worldwide tour will give you more time to write and promote this other novel, if that's what you really want."

Her eyes were following the line my finger traced on my mouth. I playfully bit into my lip before lowering my hand, forcing her eyes back up to mine.

"Wow."

'Wow' was always good. I wasn't entirely sure what she was exclaiming about. But I'd take it, or so I thought until she spoke again.

"It took you less than five minutes to cave. Alice will be disappointed in your skills as a salesman."

"And here I thought I'd been doing a pretty good job of selling myself."

"Yourself, sure. I mean, what's not to like about this package?" She gestured to me.

"I don't know," I said, leaning forward again. "You tell me."

"You're getting distracted again."

"And your pretense is slipping, Bella."

"Right, Edward. Back to the pretend meeting at hand. I don't expect Alice or you or anyone else to understand why I want to keep Bella Swan and Renee Dwyer separate."

"You're right. I don't understand. Just the thought of maintaining multiple identities is exhausting," I said.

"I don't know. It can be exhilarating. Freeing, even," she said.

"No thanks. Edward Cullen's never failed me in the past. I think I'm confident in his ability to handle just about anything that may come his way in the future," I said.

"I'm fairly certain that speaking of oneself in the third person is a sign of multiple personalities," Bella responded, turning my smirk on me again.

"You started it," I teased back.

"At least I own up to it," she said.

I reached across my desk and grabbed the first two books my hands touched. "So are you also Emily and Jessica too, then?"

It was hard to notice her casual shrug when I couldn't seem to look away from her brilliant smile.

"When I needed to be." Her words were flippant but her voice wasn't.

Lowering the novels, I flipped through the notes on her latest books. In the pile of papers were the meeting notes Alice felt necessary to supply me with. Per her usual style, there were intricate details on how I could best convince Renee – or Bella – to come out. The fleeting thought from earlier that had nagged at my brain resurfaced briefly as I looked over Alice's words.

"_Ask about her unique research methods."_

Abandoning the notes, I felt my consciousness grasp wildly at the thought as it disappeared again. Bella must have noticed my silence and looking up at her something seemed to have her on edge. Not quite as relaxed in the chair anymore, she was watching my finger trace sentences on the pages in front of me. Maybe she was mad at Alice for giving me unedited material to read. Nervous that it wouldn't live it up to her reputation. Worried about my reaction. No, why would she care what I thought?

"Do you watch a lot of porn?" I finally spoke.

"What?" Her eyes were still on the papers. Taking advantage of her apparent fascination with my hands, I pulled them up to rest under my chin. As I suspected, her eyes eventually followed.

I repeated my words slowly, enjoying the pink hue that colored her cheeks as she processed what I was saying. "Do. You. Watch. A. Lot. Of. Porn?"

"W-why-"

I held my hands up in fast defense against her stammering. "Strictly a business question. Alice indicated you have interesting research techniques for your writing. I'm thinking porn."

The blush on her face was second only to the gaping 'o' her mouth had formed. Before my thoughts could head too far south, I kept talking. About porn. Probably not the best course of action.

"If that's the case, I've got a great one you should check out. I'm pretty sure it's out of print, but my brother has a few copies stashed away in our apartment. 'Three Belles For Confederate Jizz.' Definitely worth a viewing. I can't say much about the soldier, I've never gotten that far. Not really my scene. The three ladies at the beginning of it are quite talented though. I'd be willing to set up a private screening for you. You know, in the name of research and all."

Bella had held up her hand about halfway through my impromptu review. By the time her other hand reached up to unsuccessfully cover her quiet snickering, I finally stopped talking.

"Porn is not how I research. I'd hardly consider that to be an interesting research technique, would you? Anyone can rent porn."

"Which brings us to the most important question…" I trailed off.

"Yes," she said.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Yes, I've seen it. 'Three Belles For Confederate Jizz.' After all, it's a classic," she said.

I couldn't help but smile. "Good to know, but that wasn't what I was talking about."

"Okay," she said. "So what is the most important question?"

"How do you research?"

Her silence returned. I hadn't quite figured out what it meant when quiet descended upon our conversation. Was she deep in thought? Calculating her next answer? Embarrassed about something? I doubted she was embarrassed, that was usually accompanied by that beautiful blush. Which was nowhere to be seen right now. Her teeth worked over her lower lip, the crease between her eyes deepening ever so slightly. She was definitely thinking about something. And part of me had to wonder if she was considering just how much she could trust me. Clearly she knew the answer to the question. And we'd already established the fact that she'd never reveal herself to be Renee Dwyer. So really the meeting was now strictly about my curiosity. And despite the mind-blowing sex we were frequently having, I still hadn't entered a certain circle of trust with her. Her answer may just determine how much further I had to go to get in. And suddenly I found myself desperately wanting in. I usually found my efforts working toward getting into some chick's panties but things were a little backwards with Bella. She'd already granted me access to her panties and beyond… now I wanted to get into her mind. Into her life. So really, the most important question to me wasn't how she researched her romance novels. It was if she was going to let me in. And if not, how would I change her mind?

Bella rose abruptly, shooting a glance at her watch. Looking at my computer I saw it was almost eleven-thirty. Shoving my chair back, I matched her speed if not her stealth at rising. If there was one thing I still wasn't used to about her, it was the silent speed she seemed to move at. My chair clattered loudly behind me as it hit the glass wall. I stopped myself just in time from checking to see if I'd caused any damage to the glass. I knew if I looked at the wall now, my head would be swimming with visuals of Emmett's suggestion to make better use of it. And as much as I wanted to take Bella on my desk, against the wall and in at least half a dozen other places in the near vicinity, I needed to end the meeting with my cock in check.

"Do you have plans for lunch?" I asked, knowing I already did. But anything could be cancelled.

She nodded. "So do you, I'm sure."

Sheepishly, I nodded too. "Does our three o'clock meeting still stand?"

"Um," she hesitated. I watched her eyes flicker down to my desk again. "Have you read all of those?"

I followed her finger to the print outs of her latest two novels. One had the words "Twilight on the River" typed across the top, the other read "New Moon Saloon."

"All of 'Twilight' but I only got through the first page of the cowboy one. Why?"

There was that shrug and blush combination again. It was very distracting.

"I'd urge you to finish it before three o'clock."

"So we're still on then?"

"If you're still up for it after-" She cut herself off. "You know where to find me."

She had that look on her face again. The one that made me think she was deep in thought. The one that made me question everything I'd said to her. The one that had me combing through my words to see what might have silenced her this time. The one that had me completely and utterly paranoid. But also bewitched and entranced.

Bella was at the door before I knew it. She gave me a slight wave before turning to walk out the door.

"All pleasure, no business then?" I said, almost desperately.

The shift in her posture would have been imperceptible to anyone else. But I had been watching her intently for the last hour and was carefully cataloguing every detail of her body language. She hadn't just shed Shy Bella, she'd shed Bella altogether. Despite the daring gleam in her eye, her face was completely innocent. Too innocent.

"I can only promise to try, sir."

My hips were already pressed against the edge of my desk in an effort to keep my cock under control but her words were my undoing. My stiffening bulge pressed against the dark oak of my desk, forcing a low moan from my throat.

The shadow of a smile crossed Bella's face as she swiftly left my office. Collapsing back into my chair, I pushed aside the papers I promised to read before three o'clock. I counted to sixty before pressing the intercom button on my phone.

"James?"

"Yes?"

"Cancel my lunch meeting."

"Yes sir. Um…"

I wanted to be left alone as quickly as possible. "What is it, James?"

"Just… I was just wondering if you asked Ms. Dwyer…"

_The books. I forgot to have her sign them._

"Shit. I'm sorry, James. I totally forgot."

"That's okay, sir…"

"No, no. I have a meeting with her later today… I'll have her do it then. Sorry about that."

"That's okay. Um, what time is the meeting?"

"Oh no, it's fine. No need to write it down. It's not really a business meeting. Just don't book anything else for the day."

"Okay, sir."

The intercom clicked and I was happy to be left alone. Reaching for the book with the scantily clad brunette on the cover, I flipped to the opening pages of the first Jessica Stanley novel. I would read the rest of "New Moon Saloon" but first I had to check something out.

**A/N: Sooo... will he show up at 3? Will he read "New Moon Saloon?" Will he read more Jessica Stanley? How 'bout you? Care to read what he read? Thanks for reading! Posting schedule's a little up in the air right now but I promise to keep plugging away!**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: So... will Edward show up? Perhaps after a little light reading... ;)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

"_I can only promise to try, sir," Jessica spoke deliberately. _

_The tall brunette circling her bore little resemblance to the photograph she'd received from headquarters. After all, in his file photo he was wearing a suit and tie and the stern face of a government employee. In person he was wearing significantly less. Then again, so was she. But it wasn't what they were wearing that had Jessica so annoyed. It wasn't even the smug twist to his mouth that had her blood boiling. The coded note that had accompanied the agent's photo was in the forefront of Jessica's mind. The note that expressed disappointment in Jessica's lack of progress in her assignment. And now the man appraising her nearly nude figure had been sent to help Jessica complete her mission. As if she needed help from anyone._

"_Such a smart mouth. Do you really think you're cut out to be my submissive?" His voice was low, breath on her neck as he passed behind her again. Despite the room full of observers his words were just for her ears. While her phrase was the code she'd been assigned to reveal her identity to her new co-worker, she was enjoying the reaction it provoked._

"_I can only promise to try, sir." She repeated loud enough for everyone to hear. _

_The crowd was quiet but Jessica could feel the tension in their bodies as she disrespected her potential dominant again. The smile that placed a threatening tug on her lips was cut short. The sharp smack of his bare hand against her firm backside interrupted further thoughts of disobedience. He chucked in a low growl and pressed his mouth to her neck, speaking just to her again._

"_Hope you don't get stage fright."_

_She didn't. And she wasn't entirely surprised that he would test her in front of the attentive crowd. He was enjoying his assignment a little too much. But if he thought she'd crack under the threat of public sexual displays he had another thing coming. After all, she'd been undercover for almost four months. And had served as a submissive to more than half a dozen men and women. To her this was just a job. The Dom/sub lifestyle wasn't hers, but she had been well-trained by a government specialist before going undercover. Jessica's body had been trained to have all of the appropriate physical reactions to various types of sexual stimuli. But just because she could orgasm on command didn't mean she ever lost sight of her main objective. Infiltrate the Romanians and discover the source of their blood diamond supply. The sex club was just a front. And a good one at that._

_Jessica had encountered more than one other spy in her time undercover. Most of them were sent to break the supposed sex trafficking operation the Romanians were running. Little did any of those spies know, the sex trafficking ring was just a really good cover for the smuggling of blood diamonds. After a few weeks of being pleasured in unimaginable ways, most of those spies found that their leads dried up. It turned out to be just as difficult to uncover the footprints of the diamond trail. Which was why Jessica now found herself face to face with her new partner._

_Jessica's mind flashed back to her partner's agency photo and she made a quick comparison to the man in front of her. Gone was the shirt and tie. In their place was a sculpted chest and chiseled stomach. He was tan, an oddity for this crowd. Almost everyone in the room sported the bone white glow of northern Europe. The black leather pants he was wearing were tight enough to accentuate the fine muscles in his lower body. And they only served to compliment the semi-erection he was already sporting. Jessica's eyes drifted back up to his face. His strong nose and chin came to a point that gave him a hawk-like appearance. Predatory, at the very least. He snickered as he noticed the tour her eyes just took of his body._

_Another hard smack with his hand shook Jessica from her assignment review. He lifted his weapon and turned his palm to her eyes. It was red from the force of the blow. Jessica refused to wince._

_The crowd around them was still attentive but as they were mostly Dom/sub pairings, they were also there to play. A few had started already. Slow and stifled moans traveled across the room to Jessica's ears. A particularly harsh Dom that Jessica had had the misfortune to sub for was breaking in a thick, wooden paddle on a young blonde's behind. After another three smacks, the Dom held the paddle out to Jessica's partner._

"_Got it nice and warmed up for you."_

_The man didn't take his eyes off of Jessica. "No thank you. I prefer to feel what I'm doing to her."_

_The Dom nodded admiringly and took to striking his sub with his hand, paddle still clenched in his other fist. Jessica smirked. It was typical behavior for that particular Dom. _

_Smack!_

_Jessica was unable to hold back the grimace this time. He had taken her by surprise. Two more fast, hard slaps on the side of her ass followed. Snapping her eyes back to his, Jessica held back the glare that was simmering._

"_The first one was for the smirk," his voice was low and his face close to hers. "The second one was for looking at someone other than me. And the third was because you liked it."_

_He wasn't wrong. Jessica was surprised to find herself getting wet. Sure, she'd been trained to react in a certain way. But she actually felt aroused without having to use any of her usual techniques._

"_Do you think you're here to sightsee?"_

_The low rumble of his voice broke through Jessica's inner monologue. The question was rhetorical and Jessica knew enough to stay quiet unless he asked for an answer. Slipping his large, smooth hand under her chin, he turned her face away from his and deftly slipped his tall frame behind her. He was pressed tightly against her, his hard cock trapped between their bodies. Keeping a hand on her chin, he placed the other one on her smooth and exposed stomach._

"_Do you like what you see?"_

_It was the usual. The Dom nearest them was still smacking the blonde with his hand. Two male subs and another female were kneeling with their hands behind their backs, servicing their masters with their mouths. They moved in unison on the thick, glistening cocks that were being presented to them. _

"_You like the taste of cock?"_

_He moved her head an inch to the right. There was a wooden table with a male sub on his hands and knees. Despite being entered from behind, the sub kept up his rhythm as he ate out his Domme. The push and pull of the three bodies was slowly rocking but picking up pace as Jessica watched._

"_Shall I take you from behind?"_

_Jessica felt his hand lightly dance up her torso before resting just below her tits. She was wearing her standard black bra with nipple cutouts. Between the air conditioning and the sights around her, Jessica felt her training kick in. Her nipples were already erect. Ghosting his hand over her tits, Jessica shivered._

"_So ready," he chuckled again before turning her head to the next group. "I'd like to taste her… on you."_

_The red head he talked about was part of a trio that was contorted in such a way that everyone's pussy was being serviced. While they were all moaning, the sounds were muffled between milky white thighs. Only one of them worked her fingers feverishly in conjunction with her mouth. The others were grabbing and pulling on whomever's tits they could reach. _

_His grip on her chin tightened and he twisted one of her nipples, earning a sharp inhale in response. Pivoting their bodies, he forced Jessica's attention to focus on the last group. There was a naked woman spread out on a table being licked and sucked and kissed by another woman and a man. After a few seconds of watching, Jessica determined that the woman on the table was a sub. She was slowly being tortured by the other two as her Domme would not let her orgasm. Jessica had been in that position countless times and wondered just what her new partner had in mind for the night. So far, beyond the tit tugging, they'd just been voyeurs._

_He took her by surprise again. The slit in her crotchless panties was suddenly forced further apart as something slipped along Jessica's wet folds. Was it his hand? His cock? Jessica couldn't tell. The touch was too light and too brief. She rocked her hips back and found what she was looking for._

_It was hard and long and he let it slowly separate her folds and peek forward from between her legs. The dildo was made of glass and already shining from her arousal. Sliding away from her view, he changed the angle and suddenly impaled her on it._

_Jessica held her breath and rose to her toes. The cold glass reached a spot within that sparked a tremor through her midsection._

"_Sit back on it, baby. Take it all." His voice was commanding but low still, only for her. _

_The room was filled with writhing, moaning couples. Doms loudly ordered their subs and subs cried out in desperation. But all Jessica could hear, all that she could focus on, was her partner's voice. Glancing down, he shifted his hand so that Jessica could make out the rest of the dildo still yet to be thrust into her. Leaning back onto him, his grip on her tits tightened and he plucked at her sensitive nipples. Jessica rolled her hips and took more of the dildo in. With each circle she felt its tip nudge at her most delicate spot. The shiver that ran through her toes would rise a little higher with each pass. Soon it was inching closer and closer to her pussy. The tension was getting to be too much._

_He had been guiding her across the room slowly. So slowly that she'd never noticed they were moving. Her feet barely touched the floor as he worked the dildo deeper in. Suddenly the hard wood of a table was under her. His fingers left her peaked nipples and she found the wood to be cool as he pressed her down on it. The shift in angle had the dildo reaching new spots within, driving Jessica closer and closer to the edge. It was then that Jessica felt his absence. The dildo was still in place but his movements had slowed. Chancing a glance over her shoulder, Jessica saw he had turned. His erect cock was exposed from within the now open flaps of his leather pants. Kneeling just inches away from him was the blonde. Her perfect ass was rosy in complexion from the earlier paddling. And now, as her mouth was busy servicing Jessica's former Dom, her pussy was perfectly positioned. Just the slightest thrust of his hips and Jessica's partner had his thick cock buried deep within the blonde's wet folds. She moaned around the Dom's cock and the two men started worked her back and forth between them._

_Jessica was enjoying the dildo more than in the past but couldn't help but notice the shadow of jealousy that crept over her naked and quaking body. Looking to the table below, she cursed herself for having such a feeling. This was a job. This man was her partner. Her partner that she hadn't asked for. He was only going to get in the way. Make the whole objective take longer than if she were assigned alone. So what if he put his cock into someone else?_

_Before she could answer her own question, Jessica was spinning out of control. His attention was back on her, working the dildo in magical circles that had her beginning another orgasm before the last even finished. Her inner walls clamped down on the now-heated glass and her head was swimming. Through the swirling fog, Jessica was barely aware of the quick movement around her. She was being pulled forward on the table until her head almost hung off the front. A firm and familiar grip on her chin kept her head raised. Lifting her eyes, she saw first the glistening cock and then the sharp, predatory eyes of her partner. Throwing his head in the direction of the panting blonde nearby, he quirked an eyebrow._

"_Want to taste her?"_

_His fingers gripped a little tighter and she knew she had to answer now._

"_Yes…" she paused, not wanting to give him the satisfaction but knowing she had to. "…Master."_

_Letting her chin drop slightly, he stepped forward into her mouth. Stretching her tongue out and relaxing her throat, Jessica let him in. The blonde's sweetly sour taste mixed with his earthy masculinity. Jessica's stomach curled in anticipation. She'd barely regained the sense of feeling in her legs and they were already shaking again. From having his cock in her mouth. How was he doing this to her?_

_Popping her lips into a firm "O," Jessica looked up at him again. His intent gaze on her hadn't shifted an inch. His mouth dropped open just enough to allow a breathy gasp to escape. Hoping her current state would mask the smirk, she tightened her mouth on his heavy cock and continued sucking. _

_Jessica was sure of her objective but she was also sure of one other thing. Riley was already falling for her._

-0-0-0-

BPOV

The staring contest I was having with the hotel clock wasn't going well. So far I'd blinked half a dozen times to glance over at the lingerie bag sitting across the room. And the clock still hadn't given in. The neon numbers morphed past three o'clock and seemed to change every sixty seconds or so.

Biting into my lower lip, I considered the bag of white lingerie again. Once I made a plan I typically stuck to it. But I was feeling foolish for stopping by La Perla on my way out of Edward's office. I left the meeting fairly certain that I would never see Edward again. Once he read through a few pages of my recent works in progress our fledgling relationship would be finished. So why I still stopped for the little surprise I'd planned when he left my room earlier in the morning, I'll never know. And now it sat there mocking me.

"Shut up," I muttered to the bag.

My eyes shot to the clock.

_I'm not talking to you,_ I thought.

"But I am talking to other inanimate objects," I sighed loudly.

This was getting ridiculous. Standing up, I cut a path between the clock and the bag. If I was going to resort to pacing, I could at least find a way to break up the tag team duo of the dutiful clock and the mocking lingerie bag. The only problem with the path I chose was it led straight to my laptop. I could just feel it smirking at me. Just as I was about to start talking to it as well, I heard a knock.

"A-ha!" I shouted louder than I intended. I pointed a finger from my laptop to the phone before coming to rest on the La Perla bag. "Shit," I said as I heard the knock sound again. Louder this time.

Kicking the bag of lingerie under a hotel chair on my way to the door, I was suddenly gripped by panic. My joy at having Edward show up was short-lived. After all, there could be any number of expressions on his beautiful face that was currently hidden by the three inch thick door. He'd probably be mad. Or even furious. Not that I was looking forward the argument that lie ahead but there was a primal part of my body that desperately wanted to see his angry face.

_I bet it's gorgeous._

My pulse was racing as I gripped the doorknob. It was also possible that someone other than Edward was standing in the hall. Like maid service. Or Jasper. He seemed to take it okay when I called to cancel our lunch date. But Jasper usually took rejection well. It probably had something to do with him somehow getting his way in the end.

I felt like I was on a game show. But instead of three doors, I was faced with one. One door with three possible choices behind it. An irate Edward. Maid service. Or a half-naked and horny Jasper. And it was time to see what my mystery prize was.

One final knock sounded before I got the door open. Standing in the tall oak frame of my hotel suite door was Edward.

"Bella." His voice was low and seductive with just a hint of anger that was absent from his face.

Stepping back, I opened the door a bit more. He entered the room and set down the sizable box he had been carrying. It barely fit on the small table against the wall in the entryway. Just above the table was a large mirror. Without turning, Edward's eyes burned into mine as he found my reflection.

"Edward," I barely spoke above a whisper. I'd meant to sound just as assertive as he had but my confidence got tangled up with the lust that was building low in my stomach. The strangled sound that came out was all I could manage.

His green eyes sparked and the corner of his mouth lifted in a slight smirk. It made him look less angry and I think he noticed that in the mirror. Quickly rearranging his handsome features, he took a moment before meeting my eyes again.

"I'm glad you suggested I finish my reading," he said, finally.

"Did you like it?"

"It wasn't the most original thing I've ever read."

"It's not plagiary."

"Isn't it?" The smirk was back.

But it disappeared quickly again as his gaze left mine. Digging through the box, he found what he was looking for and turned to face me. In his hand was a book, my book. The first one I'd written. _Phases of the Moon_.

"Was Sam a good lay?" he asked.

"There's an awful lot you're implicating with that kind of a question," I said. "But let's say I just answer the question as is."

"Let's," he said, biting his lip against a small smile.

"I think Emily enjoyed it. But Sam's a _fictional_ character." I crossed my arms and gave him my own playful smile.

Edward quirked an eyebrow but turned back to the box. The stack of books in his arms now was significantly larger. He held at least ten of my bestsellers. Shuffling through them, he glanced up at me as he spoke.

"How 'bout Eleazer? Garrett? Amun? Benjamin? Alistair? Charles-"

Edward was surprised to look up and see that I was standing just inches away from him. I took advantage of the pause in his litany of my leading men.

"You read fast. Or had some poor assistant Google all of these."

He narrowed his eyes at me before glancing down at his armful of books.

"That's a lot of bestsellers, Bella. Must've taken quite a bit of _research_…" After he emphasized the word 'research' his voice trailed of. A pointed look crossed his face and found a home in his raised eyebrows.

Narrowing my eyes, I leaned in a little closer.

"Fine," I said. "Quil, Quil, Embry, Quil, Embry and Quil, mostly Jacob-" I jabbed my finger at the various book covers as I named my research partner for each.

Our faces were just inches apart and the mock anger that had been playing in Edward's features was gone. Wide-eyed shock replaced it. He settled his frame back onto the table just inches behind him, lowering his height to mine.

"I have a pretty good idea of why you want to remain anonymous," he murmured.

Backing away from him, I planted my feet and tried to look imposing.

"Please enlighten me."

"You'd have quite a bit of explaining to do to all those guys…"

"Ha!" I burst out laughing. The confusion on Edward's face only made me laugh harder. "You gotta give me a minute…"

I was dangerously close to doubling over in order to catch my breath. Edward seemed to be under the impression that I bedded scores of men and surreptitiously wrote about our clandestine affairs. The very idea seemed to be something the fictitious Jessica Stanley might engage in. My actual research methods had been carefully planned and mostly boring encounters in nondescript hotel rooms. At least until recently.

"You've got at least one guy who deserves an explanation," Edward said.

My books made a slamming slap of a sound against the marble floor as he dropped them. The echo in the entryway was just as loud, masking Edward's fast footsteps. Closing the distance between us, Edward suddenly had me backing up against the wall. His body was still inches from mine but I could feel the heat of his skin. And I could smell him. The scent was deeply imbedded in the pleasure zone of my brain. The shiver that ran down my legs was just as familiar. I drew in a deep breath, forcing my chest out. My body was desperate to touch his and yet there was still distance between us. Edward's large hands were spread on the wall on either side of my head.

_He could be a pianist. And he could play so much more than eighty-eight keys._

Before my imagination ran off with her new fictional leading man, I was called back to the hotel foyer. Where I was deliciously trapped by Edward.

"Make that several explanations. Where did you just go?" His voice was low and I could feel his breath on my face.

"What are you talking about? I'm here. Right here." I said.

"Bullshit."

"It's not like I could go anywhere, Edward. You've got me a little trapped here." I rolled my eyes toward his hands and hoped he wouldn't move.

"You seem incredibly bothered," he said. Lifting the corner of his mouth, he let his hips brush against mine before pulling back again.

"Incredibly," I breathed.

Chuckling low, his eyes sparked along with the sound. But he didn't move any closer. Luckily he didn't move any further away either.

"Mind telling me what was so funny?" he asked.

"My interesting research method…" I trailed off and Edward nodded. He understood just what my special technique was now. "…well, they know." I exaggerated a wink.

I hoped he realized just how ridiculous it was that he thought I was secretly publishing accounts of sex romps with unsuspecting men. Edward cleared his throat and quirked his eyebrow but still didn't get any closer.

"Sorry. Except for one. But I was going to tell him before anything was published."

Edward was quiet. He appeared to be searching my face - my eyes – for something. Honesty? Sincerity? Without changing my expression, I held still hoping he'd find what he was looking for. I realized I was also holding my breath. For some reason his reaction suddenly mattered a whole lot to me. I was going to pass out soon if he didn't speak. Finally dragging a ragged breath in, I spoke instead.

"I hope he won't be mad."

Edward bit on his lower lip. "But you could understand how he might be."

I nodded reluctantly. "If it's any consolation, it's worked out well in the past."

Edward's teeth dug in a little deeper to that delectable lower lip. I was immediately jealous of his perfect teeth.

"What I mean to say is, Quil and Embry used it as a pick up line. See a girl reading one of my books and swoop in with some choice lines memorized. Needless to say, they were fond of reenacting the scenes they helped me… research."

The lip biting I had found so sexy suddenly became more anxious than unconscious.

"Of course, that was back in Arizona."

I felt ridiculous justifying our exclusive non-relationship. But it was almost as if Edward didn't want to hear about my past arrangements. He finally freed his lip.

"And Jacob?" he said, tilting his head slightly. "Have you got him stashed away in a suitcase somewhere?"

The giggle erupted from my mouth quite unexpectedly. I did have Jacob in this very hotel room. In fact, he was still packed away. In a suitcase somewhere.

The anger that flashed on Edward's face did more to arouse me than he probably intended. Throwing my hands up defensively, I tried to stop the giggles. It was Edward that stopped them.

Clamping his hands over mine, he pressed my arms to the wall and stepped toward me. The half an inch that still remained between our bodies was infuriating.

"At some point I'll expect you to explain what exactly is so funny…" he growled.

"Not now?" I asked.

Edward shook his head slowly. Slow and deliberate, his eyes never leaving mine as I realized he was even closer than before. He drew one hand away from mine on the wall. For some reason I left my arm up as I watched him pull on the knot of his perfect black silk tie. Drawing it away from his neck, I watched the muscles in his jaw tighten. The green of his eyes was darker, being rapidly swallowed by his widening pupils.

"Right now I have just one question for you."

The end of his tie escaped the knot and he whipped the fluid black fabric from his neck. Something silver glinted on his arm as he stretched it upward. My eyes flickered to the tie before looking back to his face. The crooked grin I loved was back in place but his expression was unreadable. He brought his hand with the tie between us. The crisp cuff of his dress shirt was exposed from beneath his suit jacket and he gently waved the black silk before my eyes.

"Do want you to research the tie? Or the cufflinks?"

**A/N: So Edward knows the score and doesn't seem to mind, or does he? Of course the real question is: will Bella choose the tie or the cufflinks? ;) Thanks so much for all the story alerts and favorites and reviews and of course, reading it!**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Sooo... ready for a little "research"? ;)**

BPOV

"_Do want you to research the tie? Or the cufflinks?"_

"I can only promise to try… whatever you want… sir."

I was practically purring and should have felt ridiculous, but I didn't care. Arching my back off of the wall, I pressed my hips toward his. Edward bit back a hiss and kept his just out of reach. Leaning down, he touched his forehead to mine and looked into my eyes.

"Who had the pleasure of taking you to a sex club?" he asked.

"No one. I'm sorry to say that little bit of fiction was all in my head."

I stuck my tongue out at him. Taking advantage of our close proximity, Edward did the same, stroking my tongue with his. His open mouth was suddenly on mine, forcing our tangled tongues to come crashing together.

The sweet warmth of his mouth had been missing from mine for too long. The last time I'd kissed him had been at the hospital. On the night of my initial assumption that it was Emmett I was dragging into a storage closet. His hot lips pressed harder on mine, trapping my body against the wall. Kissing was usually something I kept out of my research only because it interfered with my thought process. I preferred to keep my eyes and mouth closed and my mind open. But then again, all of my previous research had been with an ex-boyfriend, a sort of acquaintance and a vibrator. Now that I was firmly entrenched in Edward's delicious mouth, I remembered just how much I liked kissing. Especially with someone who knew what they were doing.

Edward drew his hands to the sides of my face. He tilted my head slightly and dove deeper into my mouth. I could feel the soft touch of his silk tie brushing against my cheekbone. My hands flew to his open collar and released a few more buttons. Sliding my hands inside, I was practically burning up as I got my fingers on his bare skin. Reaching around his neck, I pulled him closer to me. Breaking apart just enough to get a breath of air, Edward sucked slowly on my lower lip before biting down on it playfully. Releasing my mouth, he pulled back.

"Sounds like you might need to research that chapter a little more then," he said.

Tightening my grip on his neck, I burrowed my body closer against his. Now that I had him I wasn't about to let go.

"I'm not entirely sure that's my scene," I said, shaking my head.

Edward leaned down again, letting the tips of our noses brush against one another as I continued shaking my head.

"So no spanking for Bella?" Edward grinned and placed a slow, open mouthed kiss on my mouth. Letting my lips fall apart, I breathed in his scent and waited for his tongue to enter my mouth again. Instead I felt a sharp slap across my ass.

"Ooh, I see what's going on here, Mr. Cullen." I pulled back slightly. Removing a hand from his neck, I rubbed the spot where his hand still hovered.

"No spanking?" His eyebrow was raised again.

Grinning, I bit viciously into my bottom lip. "Oh no, I can handle a little bit of spanking. The real question is…" I trailed off, knowing he would pick up the bait.

Edward's hands had settled on my ass, firmly gripping it. "Is what?"

I took him by surprise when I jumped up and wrapped my legs around his waist. Luckily his hands were already in the ideal position and the table behind him broke our fall. He steadied himself against it, holding me closer to him.

"Can you handle a little pain?" I purred again and licked a slow line up the slight stubble along his jaw. Reaching his ear, I bit down on his earlobe.

"Ow, fuck." He laughed loudly. "Apparently not."

I placed another slow lick up to his ear and felt him tense. But I pointedly opened my mouth and sucked his earlobe into it. Stroking him over and over again with my tongue, I could feel his body melt back into mine and heard him hum in approval.

"I'm liking the sound of 'Mr. Cullen.'" He murmured.

"Mmm… I like the sounds Mr. Cullen makes too," I answered, bringing my lips to his.

He sucked on my lips for a bit before speaking again. "I don't think that's what I said."

"Were we talking?" I pressed my mouth back onto his but he cut me off.

My eyes opened to find his face much further away than I preferred. I pouted.

"You never answered my question." His eyes sparked. Deftly pivoting us, he set me down on the table and pressed his body into mine. Reclining just enough so the back of my head was against the large mirror behind me, I twisted my lips at his statement.

"I thought I said I don't mind spanking…"

He laughed, sending a slight tremor through my body. I let my hands slip to his half-open shirt, clutching the fabric in an attempt to hold myself together. The long line of his neck was exposed to me as he gave into the laugh. I bit hard into my lip. Distracting my teeth was the only way I could manage to not bite him. The musky scent of his flesh was calling me and I wanted nothing more than to devour him. And I would gladly start at his neck.

_Hmm… sexy vampire lovers…_

My eyes flickered closed and I could see Edward's clothing morph into something more "Creature of the Night" in my mind. Just as quickly, I was yanked out of my daydream.

Glancing down I could see that several buttons were missing from my blouse. The light clicking sound of them hitting the marble floor rung in my ears. My mouth opened wide in shock. Edward's face was closer to mine as he quirked his head to the side.

"Sorry. Was I interrupting you?"

The blush crept across my face even as I tried to defend myself. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Of course you don't. You don't talk. You transport to some fantasy land while I get you off." Edward placed an open-mouthed kiss on my exposed collarbone, all the while keeping eye contact with me.

"That's presumptuous of you," I rolled my eyes. It wasn't easy to appear nonchalant when he had my heart racing. His perfect teeth grazed my skin and he laughed before pulling back.

"Bullshit," said Edward.

"That's the second time you called bullshit on me," I said. I poked my finger at his exposed chest but kept my other hand on his collar. I didn't actually want him to move away. But I was tired of being called out. He was right, but it was still annoying. He wrapped his large hand around my finger in a tight fist, holding my hand against him.

"What can I say, Ms. Swan? I call it like it is and you're a liar." Raising my hand to his lips, he placed a chaste kiss on my fingertip.

"Uh-uh. I'm a writer." I pulled on my hand, trying to reclaim my finger. Edward had other plans for it. Opening his mouth, he pulled my finger in with his talented tongue and I melted just a little more against the mirror.

"Sorry, sweetie," he said, making my heart flutter inexplicably. "Something about your job tells me they are one and the same."

I narrowed my eyes in a desperate attempt to gain control over my heart rate. "Are you calling me a fraud?"

Edward slowly pulled my finger from his mouth and let my hand drop. He nodded as he moved closer to me, brushing his lips against mine. I fought against his tantalizing lips, anxious to defend myself. But suddenly I was unable to remember what I was about to protest. Opening my mouth to his, I was taken away again. My head as swirling but not bringing about my usual fairytale visions that led to bestselling novels. Instead my brain was in the moment, urging me on. I pushed back against him, standing up from the table. He fought against my lips and I bit back, earning a stifled whimper in response. I laughed and dug my hands into his bare chest, forcing him back to the wall. Once I had him where I wanted him, I let go. Edward's eyes shot open. Before he could speak, he noticed I was busily unbuttoning the rest of my blouse. Without waiting for a word, Edward lent me a hand. Actually, two. He'd already ruined the shirt with his earlier button popping. Wrenching it from my body and tossing it aside, he brought his firm kisses to my bare shoulders. I couldn't help but shrug into the affection, pulling myself closer to him. But I refused to be distracted again so easily. Abruptly pulling away, I grabbed Edward's biceps. Through his shirt I could feel the well-toned muscles tense. Putting a little more distance between us, I smiled playfully before sliding my hands down his arms until I reached his wrists. He quirked an eyebrow at me.

"Not so argumentative now, are we?" I smirked.

"I'm incredibly distracted," he said, slipping my bra strap down.

I captured his hand again and held it still. Shaking my head disapprovingly, I cleared my throat. "Think you can stay still for a minute?"

"Definitely not," said Edward. All it took was a slight shift of his hips for me to feel just how hard he was.

"How about three seconds?" I quickly amended my previous request.

"One… two…"

I had to move fast. Popping open the clasp on my bra, I dropped it to the floor and watched Edward's jaw drop just a little.

"You forgot three," I teased.

"Who cares? I'm free to move now, right?" He didn't wait for my answer. His hands cupped my tits, thumbs quick to brush against my nipples. They rose to a sharp peak and a delightful tingling coursed through my body when he did it again. Wrapping my fingers around his wrists, I guided his movements. Encouraging his speed, I finally took in a ragged breath and asked him to stop.

"Bullshit," he murmured. Licking his lips, he leaned down.

I quickly placed an open palm on his fast-approaching face. It was easy to push him back, he wasn't expecting to be stopped. He brushed my hand away, a mildly angry look on his face.

"Seriously?"

"Yes. That's the third time you've called bullshit and I am anything but a liar."

"Oh yeah? Like what? A tease?" He tweaked my nipples as an emphasis to his question.

A shudder ran down to my toes and I angrily ripped the cufflinks from his shirtsleeves. Flipping the clasps open, I brought them to my erect nipples and clamped them on. Gasping loudly at the pleasant stinging sensation, I closed my eyes and rolled the cufflinks between my fingers and thumbs. Playing it up for Edward, I thrust my chest forward and left my eyes closed a second longer. Peeking out through slatted eyelids, I fell forward onto him. The wall caught us and I pressed hard into his erection. Lifting to my toes, I rubbed against him and earned a loud groan in response. A quick drop to my heels before lifting back to my toes had him squirming against the wall. I still had my hands on my tits and finally opened my eyes. His face was mere inches from mine but his eyes were elsewhere. Bringing my hands to either side of his face, I rubbed my palms against the rough scruff on his jaw. I hummed at the sensation and lightly brushed my nipples against the warm skin of his chest that his exposed shirt allowed me.

"Anything look familiar? Or did you have your assistant Google it?" I taunted.

Edward flipped us, pressing me against the wall. His hands roughly replaced mine and he stared at his platinum cufflinks.

"My cufflinks look far better on you," Edward spoke to my tits and answered my question at the same time. But his eyes still hadn't returned to mine. And it didn't look as though they would anytime soon. His lips were on me then, sucking and twisting the cufflinks with his tongue. Arching into his mouth, I moaned loudly. Releasing one nipple, he moved to the other. Baring his teeth, he clutched the jewelry between them and pulled. Gasping out of sheer pleasure, I dove my hands into his hair. Clutching wildly in an attempt to hold him to me, I yanked on his bronze tresses. My movements twisted his head, bringing only more pleasure to me.

"So you did read it," I breathed, dropping my head back against the wall.

Finally lifting his head from my tits, his eyes were on fire. Thankfully his hands continued the work of his mouth while he stared me down.

"_I'm_ not a liar, Bella."

That was it. Giving a final, hard yank on his hair, I moved my hands to his chest and pushed on him. Hard. He stumbled backward half a foot, the fire in his eyes burning even stronger. Thrusting out my chest, I presented my adorned tits to him.

"Neither am I."

The stand-off lasted almost a minute before Edward broke off eye contact. He was wildly searching around for something. His eyes shot to the table, the box, the floor, the table again. I was pissed. Was he looking for an escape route? Stepping forward, I claimed a hold on his biceps again.

"What the-"

His face was fast to find mine and I was startled by the sudden closeness. The wild mess of his hair was glinting in the afternoon sun that was shining through the window. It looked like sex and I really didn't want him to leave. Not before I could fuck it up a little more. And have some fun in the process.

"Where the fuck is my tie?" He growled.

His large hands had found my upper arms as well and I angrily tried to shrug them off of me.

"In a hurry to leave, huh?"

"Fuck no," the corner of his mouth twitched. "I want you to prove me wrong, Liar."

I almost laughed. Instead I grabbed his chin and forced his eyes to mine. The green fire was still burning and I could feel my stomach lift in anticipation.

"Oh Edward, it's on." I said. "Find the fucking tie. Now."

I broke free from his arms and started to strip out of my skirt. Shimmying it down my legs, I saw Edward was still staring at me.

"Now, Edward."

"Then stop distracting me." He shouted, throwing his hands up in the air.

"I am capable of finishing this little show on my own, you know." I kicked my skirt off over my heels. Those were staying on.

Edward was crouched on the ground when his head shot up. "You wouldn't dare," he whispered. His eyes were narrowed and I tried unsuccessfully to turn my giggle into something more sinister.

Taking a few steps back, I unclipped my hair and let the curls tumble down my bare back. Edward's eyes grew wide and he whirled around, cursing under his breath. It was then that I caught sight of the tie. The black silk flew behind him, trailing out from his back pocket.

"Ahem, Edward?" I called.

He spun so fast around, I was on the verge of giggling again. Instead I managed to point.

"The tie. Check your hot ass."

It took a minute for him to comprehend what I was saying. Once he did, he frantically swung his hand around to find the tie right where he'd put it. Straightening up a bit, he tried to arrange his lips into their trademark smirk but the frenzied search had him a bit frazzled. Taking slow steps toward me, I enjoyed his sexy saunter. A rosy flush had spread on his cheeks and I could practically hear his heart racing but it didn't take anything away from his approach. I'd already written the whole deserted island thing with Jake but was seriously considering a return to the jungle. Suddenly I could see the appeal in a Tarzan and Jane type of story. And just like a panther, he was on me. His fingers gripped my shoulders, the silky tie stretched across my chest. The cool fabric was a startling contrast to the heat of his hands.

"I'd say blue is my new favorite color but I can't be sure that's the color of your panties. All I can see is red." His growl erupted on the last word and he was ravishing my neck.

Full, lustful kisses were pressed firmly into my skin. My skin tingled each time he touched me. Darting his tongue out as an accent to his kisses was driving me wild. I wanted his tongue all over my body. There was very little space between our bodies but I managed to move my hands up to the tie. Getting a firm grasp on it, I tugged a little and pulled back.

"Ready for show and tell?" I asked.

Edward had worked his way over to my shoulder but when he saw the tie in my hands, he lifted his head. Nodding excitedly, his hands traced a path from my arms, past my chest and down my torso. Shivering, I placed a hand on his exposed chest and felt him respond the same way. One quick swipe of my hand and the rest of his buttons were scattered on the floor as well. Shrugging out of the shirt, he looked impressed. I let my hand rest on his belt buckle. Tracing circles on the smooth metal, I considered it for a moment. It was sleek and silver, completely polished just like Edward. A little office romance always had merit. The sexy CEO and his dutiful secretary. Before the wheels in my mind could spin further, I tugged on it.

"You might enjoy it a little more without all these clothes on."

I'd barely gotten the words out of my mouth and Edward's belt was being flung across the room and his pants were on the floor. In two swift moves, he was naked. It was my turn to look impressed.

"Had I known that was all there was between me and Little Edward-" My musings were abruptly cut off.

"First, I told you I like to be prepared. Second, Little Edward? I'm insulted. I'd think a writer such as yourself would have a more creative nickname in mind. Oh that's right. You're not a writer. You're a liar."

I snapped the tie like a whip and put a hand on my hip. "Bed. Now."

Edward sauntered again, this time taunting me with his leisurely pace. Brushing past me on his way to the bed, he leaned close. "So demanding. Can't wait to get your hands… or maybe mouth… on me, huh?"

He smacked my ass playfully and hopped onto the bed. Biting into my lip, I turned on my heels and walked to the foot of the bed. Edward was laying back, his hands behind his head. As relaxed as he looked, I could tell it was all an act. His cock swayed toward his flat stomach, pulsing and swollen.

"Demanding, huh?" I half-whispered. Climbing up to kneel on the bed, I stretched the tie out between my hands. "Let's make it gentleman's choice, shall we?"

Edward nodded, grinning like a fool.

"We could go the cliché route… tied to a bedpost and all. Very Jessica Stanley." I wondered out loud.

"A good writer avoids clichés," said Edward.

Looping the tie around my chest, I lifted my tits and thrust my chest forward a bit. "Not really long enough for bondage."

Edward raised a slow eyebrow.

"We could take a page from 'Captive on Wolfe Island' and do the whole blindfold thing…"

"Not very creative," Edward smirked.

"No?" I asked. "Quil seemed to enjoy it."

Edward sat up quickly, grabbing for the tie still wrapped around my torso. He yanked me forward, catching me off balance. Stumbling towards him, I dropped a hand to the bed in order to steady myself. Instead of the bed, I found my hand planted firmly on Edward's hip, just inches from his hard cock. Reaching my thumb out, I stroked the soft skin of his shaft and smiled to myself when his hips jerked.

"What the fuck, Bella." His growl was back.

"Sorry," I batted my eyelashes at him. "I'm just trying to think of what my other research partners enjoyed."

I continued fluttering my eyelashes until his angry façade began to crack. Leaning back onto a propped elbow, he released his hand from the tie.

"Great. What was Jake into?" he said through clenched teeth.

Sitting up, I removed the tie from my chest and drew a slow line down Edward's torso with it.

"Jake? Oh, he's game for anything." I held back my snicker and continued swirling the tip of the tie along Edward's skin.

Leaning down, I traced the same pattern with my tongue. I was definitely overdue to have my tongue on him. He tasted better than I'd remembered. Writing down our encounters somehow seemed to diminish the real thing. Working my way up, I was soon hovering just inches from his body. Our faces finally together, I placed a slow and languid kiss on his reluctant lips. Kissing along the corners of his mouth, I lavished them with soft but firm kisses. Finally, he gave in and returned my affection. The slow dance of our tongues built into something of a frenzy and I felt his shoulders lift higher off the bed. He was trying to get closer, deeper into me. I knew the feeling. Removing my lips from his, I sat up enough to look into his eyes.

"Perhaps we try something new?"

Edward didn't respond as I surveyed the gorgeous sight of his naked body that lay beneath me. Lingering on his hard and patient cock, I brought the tie up to my mouth and bit on it before looking back to Edward. Letting the tie drop, I placed my hands on Edward's firm chest and knelt above him.

"I'm quite confident I'd be able to fashion it into something of a cock ring. But we'd have to deflate this little – forgive me, gigantic – problem that's standing in our way first."

Glancing down between our bodies, Edward followed my gaze.

"I'm rather fond of my cock. I'd rather not have it strangled by my favorite tie." His eyes were back on mine.

"Mmm… I have to agree. I'm fond of it too." I said. "I'm speaking about the tie of course."

Edward jerked his hips upward, clutching mine at the same time. He held me in place and this time brushed my panties with the tip of his hard cock when he lifted up.

"Screw the tie. I don't suppose these panties are crotchless?" Edward asked.

Wrinkling my nose, I shook my head. "Way too Jessica Stanley for my taste."

"Really?" His eyebrows shot up and I caught his fast glance over my shoulder.

Throwing a look over my shoulder, I wasn't sure what Edward saw. But he didn't miss the questioning look on my face.

"Then what's in the lingerie bag over there?" Edward asked.

With a laugh, I dropped my head onto his chest. He wriggled under me, trying to get closer. Before he made contact with my panties again, I raised my head. Batting my eyelashes and coyly biting my lip, I almost twirled a finger in my hair before speaking.

"Would you like me to show you? I could just go and take a minute or two to change and-"

Edward was suddenly sitting up. Precariously perched on his lap, I tried to inch back but he held me tight in his grip. His hard cock was pressing firmly into my panties. The sudden wetness that spread between my legs was almost as distracting as the pulsing cock I could hardly tear my eyes from.

"I'm not a hired hand. If you think I'm just going to lie here, hard and ready for you-"

I shrugged and tried to move back but he was still holding me close. "Embry-"

Edward shut me up with a scorching kiss. His tongue attacked mine, forcing his way into my mouth. Digging his fingers into my lower back, I couldn't resist his pull. Sliding forward, I could feel the heat of his cock begging to be released and my own body was already answering. My pussy was a traitor. Before I could answer Edward's kiss, he was rolling us over. Pressing me into the bed, he took control and moved his feverish kisses down my neck. Wrapped my legs around his waist, I held him to me. My fingers splayed over his broad shoulders as I tried to catch my breath. It took me a minute to realize that he speaking to me even as he decorated my neck and collarbone with his lips.

"If you ask me, you're just begging to be tied to this bed and thoroughly fucked. Good and hard. So this could be good for something after all." It was only when he held up the tie in his fist that he also lifted his head. "But what you need is for someone to make love to you. No games, no stories, no fantasies."

I tried to breathe but found it to be quite difficult. It would have been easy to blame the pressing heat against my panties or the kisses that still burned on my skin. But it was actually a combination of his intense, green stare and the words he spoke. My brain was slowly turning them over, distracting me. Edward had rearranged my legs, pried them from his waist. He was hovering over my prone figure on the bed and slowly working his way down. His hands drifted to my hips. A fingertip slipped under the lace, followed by another. Urging my hips off the bed, Edward gently removed my panties. Peeking up at me from the foot of the bed, my stomach jumped at the sight of him. Slowly removing my heels, he dropped them to the floor. He was no longer the angry predator or flirty sex god from earlier. The boyish flop of his bronze hair into his sparkling eyes had my hands shaking. His expression was serious but also lovely. The fine planes of his cheekbones and relaxed posture of his strong jaw were heartbreakingly beautiful. I wanted to stroke the side of his face. Feel the scruff of his unshaven face against my skin. Curl my fingers into the messy waves of his hair and scratch against his scalp. Listen to the sounds only I could elicit from him. Each gorgeous feature of his face became more clear as he slowly worked his way up my body. A light kiss on my shin, my knee, my hip. He hovered on his hands, only the slightest pressure from his body against mine. I could feel my skin tingling in anticipation of his weight. Another kiss low on my stomach, then my belly button. The quick dip of his tongue curled my toes. Sucking in a deep breath, I held it in until my lungs were burning. But that wasn't all that was burning. I tried to speak but found my throat to be on fire. Another kiss between my breasts and I could feel the trembling make its way into my fingers. The thoughts my brain had been trying to process had transformed into a buzzing sound that I couldn't seem to silence. Edward's lips brushed against my neck again and his face soon appeared over mine. I felt my eyelids flutter, the beautiful man over me flickered in and out of sight. My lips were suddenly on fire and I closed my eyes against the pain. A blossom of pleasure mixed in and I found my lips moving against his. My mouth opened and stroked his tongue in encouragement. Points of sparking heat were set all over my body as his hands made contact with my skin. His body lowered onto mine. Reaching blindly, my fingers found his hair. Stroking and pulling, I couldn't get the soft fullness deep enough into my skin. His thick tresses slipped between my fingers and I tugged some more. I wanted to sink into him. Instead I slid my legs along the soft sheets, allowing him access to enter me. Arching my back, Edward's hands found their way beneath my body. Supporting me, he pulled my warm center to the thick head of his cock. Releasing my tongue, I opened my eyes to see Edward's burning into mine. The question beneath the smolder was unmistakable. And although my vision threatened to leave me again, I nodded. An infinitesimal move, his lips lowered to mine. Not quite close enough to kiss, he lightly touched my mouth. Our lips parted and he glided forward slowly. My breath caught again as he pushed his hard cock into me. The burning in my lungs traveled a fast circuit down through my stomach. My eyelids fluttered and I thrust my head back onto the bed, forcing them to stay open. Snapping my head up, I was met again by Edward's intense gaze. His steady movements continued, still working himself deep into me. My legs quivered on the bed and I tilted my hips into his. Urging him on, desperate to envelope him completely. Edward's eyes failed to leave mine as his hands left my back and pressed into the mattress. Lifting up on straight arms, he thrust forward gently. My legs reflexively found their way back around his waist, pulling him closer. The rumble of pleasure that erupted from his chest called out to my own passion. Unconsciously gripping his cock deep within, the pleasure opened and curled like endlessly blooming petals.

A wide hand gripped above my knee, straightening my leg alongside his. Edward rolled us onto our sides as my orgasm shuddered to completion. Dragging his hand pointedly up my leg, he stopped just inches from my dripping pussy. Making slow swirling patterns with his thumb, Edward stroked slowly in and out of me. With one leg still wrapped around his, I dug my heel in and rocked into him. Grabbing his wide shoulders, I followed his gaze down to his hand. Pulling out just a little, he brushed his thumb along his glistening, exposed length. The thin rim of a condom was visible and I had to wonder when he'd slipped it on. The growl building in Edward's chest made me realize I didn't care. As our bodies came together again, his thumb now found my sensitive clit. The light brush forced my nails into his shoulders. Hissing, he repeated the move again. Both of us watched, intent on what he was doing to me. Encouraging his pace, I pressed into his thumb before rocking back again. He added his finger on the next thrust, pinching my clit and causing a shuddering explosion within. Clenching spastically around his cock, I leaned in to suck the sweet skin of Edward's neck. He was covered in a fine sheen of sweat. Licking it off of him, I couldn't get enough. I dragged my hands across to his chest, feeling the thick ropes of muscles that lay beneath his smooth skin. I could feel the climax lazily winding down and wasn't ready to let it go without a fight. Releasing my leg from around Edward's, I pushed on his chest. It didn't take much to get him to roll onto his back. The interminable pace he was maintaining had to be killing him. His release couldn't be far off. And after the time he'd given me, a little payback was in order.

Lifting up to sit on his hips, I perched myself within an arm's reach. Edward had perfect access to my tits and took full advantage of it. Working his fingers in the same tugging pinches he bestowed on my clit, I could feel my orgasm slowing its departure. Rolling my hips, I viciously clenched my inner walls around his cock and hummed loudly. Forcing my tits deep into his hands, I arched my back and felt him hit a new spot further within. A breathy gasp escaped as the fire in my lungs was extinguished. The scorching burn had traveled south and taken up residence in my pussy. Rising up on Edward, I moaned at the loss of his thick cock. Sinking up and down on his pulsing head, I saw him glance down. Slowing my motions, I let him enjoy the sight of his cock dripping with my arousal and about to be buried deep inside my warm heat. I bit into my lip and it just wasn't satisfying enough. Keeping my hips up high, I leaned down and bit his lip. His eyes shot to mine and he bit back at me. A smile tugged at his lips as I nipped at him again and finally plunged down. He thrust up to meet me and groaned loudly at the contact. I could feel he was close. Sitting up quickly, his cock sprang free as I sat back on his legs. Edward's head lifted off of the bed, the shock clear on his face. Leaning back a little, I wiggled on his legs and coyly bit on my knuckle before turning my eye to his rigid cock. Lifting onto my knees, I grasped his cock in my fist and pumped up its length. Letting it pop out of my tightly closed hand, I screwed up my mouth and batted my eyes at Edward. The look of disbelief fled his face and was replaced by an identical smirk. Parting those lips that were swollen with my kisses, Edward stuck out his tongue at me. Throwing myself at him, I closed my lips tight around his tongue and sucked back on it while lowering myself down onto him again. Dragging my tongue along his, I lifted up and sunk back down on him. He let me set the pace but quickly had his hands on my hips, helping me move. Sliding and slipping up and down on him, I moved my lips to his chest. Soon my kisses and licks turned to panting gasps against the fine hair of his masculine form. I could feel his heartbeat and its stuttering rhythm was quickly speeding up. Forcing myself to sit up, I braced my hands on his flat stomach. The muscles twitched beneath my palms as Edward threw his head back on the bed. Unable to lift up anymore, we moved in small, fast thrusts. My orgasm hovered on the brink, sweet curls of pleasure grew with each move. Edward closed his eyes and dug his fingers deeper into my tingling skin. The trembling in my body grew and I could feel the contractions begin deep within. As I squeezed tightly around the wide head of his cock, Edward's eyes shot open. Falling apart around him again, my inner walls clutched wildly at his cock. A scream fell from my mouth and he swallowed my pleasure in a searing kiss. Rising up to wrap his arms around me, I rode out the orgasm sitting firmly on Edward's lap. Drawing each ounce of pleasure from his cock, I gripped him tightly both inside and out. I didn't want to let him go.

-0-0-0-

I wasn't sure how much time had passed or how I came to be lying under a thin sheet in Edward's embrace. And while my brain frantically tried to sort out what exactly had just happened, other parts of my body were quite content. Even though my eyes were closed, Edward could sense I was awake.

"Tell me, Sleeping Beauty, are you in a field of wildflowers or a maharajah's palace?"

The smile spread on my face but I kept my eyes closed. I could feel Edward move closer.

"A showgirl's dressing room or a beach before a storm?"

Something brushed my cheek. The tip of his nose? His eyelashes? His lips?

"A cottage in the woods or a feather-strewn bed?"

Another light touch, this time on my eyelids.

"Or perhaps a king-sized bed in a hotel suite in Boston…"

His question trailed off and I knew he was waiting for my answer. Holding back a sigh, I blinked my eyes open. The relaxed look on his beautiful face brought it forth anyway. It was unfair for a man to be so pretty. He lifted his eyebrow so slightly it was almost undetectable. Almost. My thoughts were scrambling as my lips parted to speak.

A knock at the door interrupted me. Had we locked the door? Hell, had we closed the door? Yet another thing I couldn't remember. Edward refused to be distracted, his eyes intently on mine. The knock sounded again. I glanced toward the door. As much as I didn't want to have this conversation with Edward, I wasn't sure if avoiding it was the best thing to do. If nothing else, Edward had just proven how persistent and persuasive he could be. Another knock was followed this time by a voice. A loud voice.

"Bella, sweetie! Thought you could use something hard and long after the day you've had."

Before I could react, Edward was out of the bed and at the door. He'd whipped the sheet off the bed and taken it with him, wrapping it around his waist. Leaving me cold and exposed on the bed, I scrambled to cover up as Edward opened the door. Dressed in his usual uniform of low-slung gym shorts and a cocky grin, stood Jasper.

**A/N: Oh Jasper! Hmm... what will Edward think of our cocky cowboy? Now that Bella's got a whole lot of scenarios swimming around in her head, what sounds good to you? Anything you want to read in particular? After all, Bella may just be doing a little more "research" in the future! Thanks for reading, reviewing, alerting, etc!**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: All of my usual apologies for taking so long to post! But thanks for your patience. We last left off with a little confrontation about to happen between Edward and Jasper and well... this isn't it! Sorry! We skip ahead a few days because not much happened at the hotel... but trust me, Edward will get to confront him. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

The first leg of our journey had been long and dusty. After a brief stop in a town with little more than a small chapel and trough of water for the horse, we were on our way again. As much as I would've liked a porcelain tub of warm water and perhaps a change of clothes, the chapel and water trough were all we really needed. And as the second leg of our trip was just as dusty as the first, a white dress would not have fared well.

Clutching my arms tightly around Edmund's midsection, I enjoyed the feel of his starched cotton shirt against my skin. I was hardly a stranger to horseback riding and had gotten over any hesitation I might have had hours ago. But I still clung to him. The trip was exhausting but I found myself strangely exhilarated. It wasn't just dusty, it was hot. I wanted to rid myself of my tight corset and lie in a cool breeze. But more enticing than a cool breeze was the thought of Edmund smothering my body in something even hotter than the desert air.

Keeping my left arm tight, I let my right hand slip down a little lower. The smooth leather of his belt was warm. Letting my knuckles graze against the bulge just below, I felt the horse's gallop trip slightly in rhythm. Now that I had his attention, I firmly cupped my hand over him and leaned into his steady back. Rocking into him as the horse's pace evened out, I squeezed him tighter and felt his cock stir in response. He lifted into my hand with each stomp and I found myself pressing harder into the saddle as we came down. The friction was doing little to ease my frustration. In fact, it was making it worse. Biting into my lip, I desperately wished I was tall enough to reach the sunburned skin of his neck. Pressing into him again, I rubbed my hand against him as he rose in the saddle. Edmund's head dropped back slightly and I moved my hand again. A cool wetness began to form between my legs and I pressed into the saddle again. Sliding forward, I brought my other hand down to his imprisoned cock. It would be difficult to unlace the leather straps that kept him bound, but not impossible. Making quick work of the thin laces, I soon felt warm and throbbing flesh. Wrapping my hands around his swollen head, I squeezed him slowly in my hand. The horse tripped again and before I could start steadily pumping on him, we had stopped.

For a second I thought he was just going to take me in the middle of the desert. But then I looked around. We were in another small town, pulled up next to the posts outside a weather beaten hotel. Edmund had fastened his pants, hopped off the horse and held his hand out to me before I could even take a breath. Laying my hand in his, his grip was desperate as he helped me down.

I could only imagine what the desk clerk saw in Edmund's green eyes. For just moments after we'd set foot inside, I was being whisked upstairs to a private room with a bed just ready and waiting. But the view of the bed from the doorway was as close as we got. Slamming the door closed, I twisted myself in Edmund's arms until my legs were wrapped around his waist. Frantically pushing my skirts up, Edmund secured his calloused fingers on my hips before leaning in to devour my mouth. I'd already managed to unbutton his shirt and was stroking his skin that was still feverish from the long desert ride. Edmund's lips left mine and I gasped loudly.

"Just rip them, Edmund. Rip them!"

He immediately knew what I was referring to and he answered my cry with a slick tearing sound. The wetness dripping from my pussy was shockingly cold as our movements stirred the stale air of the hotel room. Edmund's hand stroked across the skin of my inner thigh to slip into my warm heat. He moaned loudly before returning to my mouth. Sucking desperately at his tongue, I arched my back up off of the door to get further into him. His fingers pushed deeper and I rose up on his hand. Rocking my hips into him, I gasped into his mouth and clawed at his neck. Drawing his hand out of my pussy, he pulled back from my mouth before greedily devouring the wetness on his fingers. My hands reached up behind his neck to pull at his hair that was matted down below the cowboy hat he was still wearing. Wrapping his arms around me, he let his wet hand slip through the tangled curls of my hair. Shifting onto him even more, I wrenched a hand free from his hair to return to the refastened straps on his pants. Ripping at them, I finally had his cock free. Our mouths came crashing together again, tongues wildly exploring. Pulling back to breath, I dragged my tongue against my palm before dropping it back down to his cock. Stroking the wetness of my mouth all over him, he growled and pushed me back against the door. My legs were still tied neatly around his waist, at the perfect height. Glancing down to his glistening cock, Edmund lined his impressive length up with the center of my arousal. I couldn't wait any longer. Pushing off of the door, I forced him into me. Taking every last inch of his hard and pulsing cock, I couldn't quite catch my breath. Edmund staggered under my sudden movement but recovered quickly and started pumping into me. His hands found hold on my sides and helped lift me up and down on him. Riding his cock harder and harder, I could feel our hips crack together as we moved faster and faster. The tension that was building low in my body swelled to an excruciating crest of anticipation. Finally, as Edmund thrust deep into me I released in a spasm of pleasure all around him. Lavishing his cheekbones and eyelashes with kisses, I clenched tightly down on his still-pumping cock. Driving toward his own release, I clung to Edmund's body that was drenched in dust from the ride and sweat from our frantic movements. He smelled like sex as the evidence of my pleasure dripped down from his soaked cock. Jerking his back hard enough to toss his hat off, Edmund pulled me onto him even tighter as he spilled his arousal into me.

My legs were shaking as Edmund lowered me. With a few unsure steps I was at the bed where I promptly collapsed. Lying back on the cool sheets, I closed my eyes and sighed, a smile decorating my face. I could hear movement in the room around me and waited to feel the weight of Edmund's body on the mattress next to mine. Instead I heard the sound of stubborn wood being forced open. The windows. Opening one eye, I could see Edmund lifting the small square panes as high as they could go. A warm, desert wind swirled into the room and cooled the beads of sweat across my sticky skin. Pushing the thin pale curtains aside, I could see the lamps of kerosene flickering to life all around town. Dusk was upon us. It was a different town but looked very much like the one I had left this morning. The sun was setting on my old life as well as this unfamiliar landscape. A certain panic gripped my heart and I struggled to take a breath. It was then that Edmund came to the bed. Brushing a curled lock of hair from my forehead, I closed my eyes at his touch. Trying to relax into the feeling of his rough but gentle hand, I found myself able to take shallow breaths. The mattress creaked in high-pitched gasps as Edmund moved closer to me. His hands traced the shape of my body before reaching my thighs. Stroking my soft skin, he pushed up the skirts of my dress and gently removed the shredded remains of my undergarments. Pressing his thumbs into the skin of my inner thighs, my legs parted and relaxed against the soft sheets. Edmund's voice spoke soft and low, far down on my body.

"I really wanted to take my time with you. But I couldn't help myself."

"It's not the first time…" I regretted the words as soon as I spoke them.

The reference to my barely abandoned former life hung between us. I prayed for a strong wind to take the words out into the black night desert. Bury them deep among the cactus and sand. Edmund placed soft, hesitant kisses along my inner thigh. With each touch of his lips I felt my foolish words get smaller and smaller until I could hardly remember what they had been. Edmund's grip on my thighs grew softer and he let his hands slip to the bed below. Shifting his weight, he lifted a little higher and kissed higher on my body. And higher still. Until he was brushing against the tingling skin of my pussy. A quick slip of his tongue called to my simmering arousal. Wetness coated my throbbing lower lips and Edmund used his tongue again. This time moving slower and pressing harder, Edmund licked up the length of my dripping pussy. Lifting my head, he captured my gaze with his as he swept my pleasure into his mouth. His heartbreakingly beautiful smile appeared as he hummed in appreciation before dipping his head low again. Sneaking his hands back onto my thighs, he stretched out his fingers. Using his thumbs to spread the lips of my pussy, he lowered his tongue to my pulsing clit. Teasing the sensitive knot with the firm tip of his tongue, my legs shook beneath him. Popping the tight circle of his lips around my clit, he sucked on it before flicking his tongue against it. Stretching my fingers into his hair, I encouraged his movements, moaning loudly. Trying to relax my muscles deep into the bed was proving to be impossible as he worked up the tight knot of pleasure within me again. Sucking hard and then licking fast and light, Edmund coaxed the waves of arousal forward. Panting loudly, I gripped tightly on his hair and lifted my hips. His lips sucked harder, swallowing my pleasure as it burst forth. Closing his mouth around my wet lips, he sucked and licked and drank every drop of my orgasm. The sensation crested and then came crashing forward again under Edmund's careful ministrations.

It was only when his mouth left me that the throbbing in my pussy slowed. I could feel more pleasure curling and coiling deep within, not ready to retreat just yet. Luckily, neither was Edmund. It was only now that I realized he wasn't wearing anything. He must've removed more than his hat before climbing into bed. The hard line of his cock pressed into my leg as he climbed higher up my body. Pushing the fabric of my dress up, I rose my arms and helped him remove it. The heavy skirts fell to the floor and now nothing stood between us. Running my hands over Edmund's muscular chest, I wriggled underneath him. His body weight fell a little harder onto me and I inched my legs just far enough apart to welcome him. Lifting my hips was difficult under his long, hard body. A crooked smirk touched his lips.

"Anxious, are you?"

I tried to scowl but wasn't entirely successful when his lips were on mine again. He sucked on my lips and nibbled on my tongue. Driving my tongue into his mouth, I wrapped my arms around his sturdy back and lifted deeper into his mouth. Edmund sunk further onto me and I could feel the thick head of his cock barely touching my wet pussy. I moaned into his mouth, desperate for him. And finally, he answered my unspoken plea. Pressing forward, he slipped between my hot folds and sunk deeply into me. Clawing at his back, I pulled myself higher up off the bed, trying to get all of him inside me. Suddenly speeding up, Edmund thrust all the way in and I was quivering immediately. The quaking started deep within and soon I was clenching all around his heaving cock. He continued driving into me and pulled me through another orgasm. My legs shook and I tried to lift them around his hips. I didn't want to be done yet. I could do this forever… with him. Lifting onto his forearms, Edmund drove harder and faster. Despite his furious pace, he kept strict eye contact with me and even lifted a gentle hand to brush a stray curl from my forehead again. Even though I was beneath him, I was hardly touching the bed. Arms clinging to his back, legs flung around his hips, I forced him deeper in. He returned both hands to the bed as my body became heavy with fatigue. Holding to him still, I refused to let go as another orgasm assaulted my body. And before I knew it, his was slowing. Driving one hard, slow thrust. Then another. And another. Before finally driving deeply into me in his own climax. Digging my fingernails into the sweaty skin of his back, I still didn't want to let go. I was tired of letting go.

Edmund lowered us to the bed, rolling onto his side so I could still hold tight to him. His large hands stretched across my lower back and he pulled me closer. Nestling into his neck, I closed my eyes breathing his musky scent in. Stretching his legs out, he wove them into mine as I settled against his body. Lifting one hand from my back, he slipped his fingers between mine and rested our linked hands on my hip. Squeezing my hand, he placed a chaste kiss on my forehead.

"I love you, my wife."

The grip of his rough hands softened as his breathing deepened. And while sleep overtook Edgar, I felt myself more awake than ever. He wasn't hogging the covers, but he was stealing all the slumber. I wiggled my fingers in his. The movement went unnoticed. The light clink of our thin gold banns tapping was thunderous in my head. Glancing down, I lightly squeezed his hand and sighed. The illusion was now complete.

BPOV

"Well, that sucked."

Liz Masen dropped the stack of papers onto her desk and leveled her eyes at mine. I'd been intently watching her read the final chapter of "New Moon Saloon," only to have drifted away as she slowly read. It was now well past five o'clock in the evening and I'd wasted nearly a day reliving every moment of the last week. My mind wandered to the afternoon in the hotel with Edward. And Jasper. And the subsequent barrage of texts I'd gotten from both of them. Sure, most of them were friendly and flirty but keeping up with it was becoming a little too time consuming. I was seriously considering ditching my phone. But then a text would come from Edward and- well, I wasn't entirely sure what I thought about it. But my body was pretty damn happy to hear that stupid little ring tone.

"Seriously sucked." Liz leaned forward, elbows on her desk and chin in her hands. She was clearly going to keep repeating herself until I responded.

"You didn't like it?" It was the only thing I could think to say.

"Hell, no, Bella," she practically shouted, throwing her hands up in the air. "That was the most depressing thing I've ever read in my life!"

I glanced down at the papers on her desk and squinted at them before looking back to her.

"Depressing? There's like half a dozen orgasms in there." I lamely lifted a hand and pointed at the manuscript.

"Ugh," she sighed. "What's with all the baggage? Orgasms with baggage are pretty much the same thing as no orgasms at all."

"I can't give my readers something a little more substantial?" I asked.

"Bella, your readers are looking to escape the crap of their everyday lives. Crap like orgasms with baggage. Who the hell wants to read it when they live it?"

"So plot is now considered 'baggage'?" I said.

Liz narrowed her eyes at me and picked up the last sheet of paper from the pile. Glancing down at it, she cleared her throat.

" 'The grip of his rough hand softened as his breathing deepened. And while sleep overtook Edgar, I felt myself more awake than ever. He wasn't just hogging the covers, he was stealing all the slumber. Sliding my legs closer to his, I tried to reclaim some of the sheets. The movement went unnoticed as I rearranged myself closer alongside him. The loose grip of his hand slipped down my arm and rested on top of my hand. The light clink of our thin gold banns tapping was thunderous in my head. Glancing down, I gently wove my fingers between his and sighed. The illusion was now complete.' "

Liz ceremoniously dropped the sheet and slowly turned her piercing gaze on me. I tried to smirk but the gesture felt forced.

"You do a lovely reading," I offered.

"Thank you," she smiled before stabbing a finger at the manuscript. "But this is fucking dog shit. 'The illusion was now complete?' What the hell does that mean?"

"It means that she feels like she hasn't really left her old life behind after all," I said.

"No shit, Bella! I kinda figured that much out." Liz flew up from her chair and sent it spinning behind her. "And why the hell is it in first person, you always write in third!"

"I'm not entirely sure what you're so upset about. The sex is hot, right?" I asked, glancing nervously from the papers to Liz's angry pacing.

"Of course the sex is hot," Liz said. "It's the whole 'once a whore, always a whore' mentality that I'm not so sure will sit well with your readers."

"I think you're making a bigger deal out of this-" I started to say.

"This is a big deal. This is a million dollars worth of a big deal. And if you think it's wise to fuck around with your loyal fan base just because you've developed a conscience, I won't be a part of it. I like my paycheck."

"What the hell does that mean? Developed a conscience?" I stood up.

"Oh please, Bella. You can't write porn for as long as you have without feeling a little dirty about it. And I don't mean dirty in a good way." Taking a few deep breaths, Liz stopped pacing and sat back down. "What I mean is that you are incredibly lucky."

"So which is it? Am I dirty or lucky?" I refused to sit down.

"Both," she smiled at me. "Bella you make a living – a very good living – off of dwelling in a fantasy. Most of us have to sit in rush hour traffic and deal with horrible bosses and deadlines…"

I quirked my eyebrow at her to which she smiled sheepishly before continuing.

"You, on the other hand, get to have hot, naked guys living in your brain twenty-four-seven. I mean, come on… tell me honestly how many vibrators you've burnt out over the years." Liz leaned forward, conspiratorially.

Sighing, I flopped back down into the chair. I closed my eyes and rested my head back. I could just hear Liz waiting for me to say something. Considering the manuscript on her desk, I debated if I had it in me to revise it. My mind was swimming with new story ideas and I really wanted to get working on them. Of course, working on new ideas only proved her theory that I was dirty. And definitely starting to feel guilty about it. Wasn't I supposed to be fighting to publish a more serious, non-smut novel anyway? Maybe a good week or two of revisions was just what I needed. Opening my eyes, I saw Liz leaning expectantly across her desk at me. Before I could open my mouth, a familiar tone sounded. A text. Slipping the phone from my purse, I peeked at the screen. It was from Edward.

_My firm shot a healthcare spot in backwoods Maine. Does that count as 'lumberjack'?_

Palming my phone, I looked back to Liz. Reaching forward, I tapped the novel on her desk.

"What if I add a couple more orgasms and a blowjob?" I asked.

A wide smile broke across Liz's face. "Now you're talking."

Leaning back again, I smiled back at her before composing my response to Edward.

EPOV

_I don't know. Do you own anything plaid?_

I laughed as I read Bella's text. Tapping my thumb lightly on the keys, I debated how to answer her back.

It had been almost a week since our afternoon tryst in the hotel. Almost a week of playful banter via text message. Almost a week of going crazy wondering just where things were headed. Sure, Bella was flirty from a distance. But we hadn't been in the same room since everything had been put out in the open. Real conversation seemed to elude us. Yet I think I'd finally figure out how to get Bella talking. Tire her out with multiple orgasms and she was more likely to stay put.

And there wasn't actually much to talk about. I knew she had used me for her research and it was the one way I found I didn't mind being used. In fact, I'd offered to help her out anytime she wanted. The problem was, I had been hoping for some non-fantasy time with her as well. You know, eat a meal at a restaurant. Make good use of my box seats at Fenway. Maybe even use my season tickets to the symphony for a change. I was hoping for a chance real soon to proposition her for a normal date as soon as I had her post-coital again.

And then there was the question of Jasper.

It had been no accident that I'd dropped the sheet when the half-naked guy strutted into the hotel room. Sure, he had six pack abs and a chiseled face but I had my own assets. And hell, I was more covered up in a sheet than he was in gym shorts. Bella had scrambled over to the door and tried her best to explain in a stuttering, flustered speech just who this man was. But the most important thing was that she was quick to cover herself up. I had a feeling she might not have cared so much if we'd both been intimate with her. And since I'd just enjoyed every inch of her body, I was pretty sure it wasn't me she was covering up for. But the cocky blond son of a bitch made me doubt myself just the same.

As Bella told it, Jasper was working for Alice and crashing on their couch. He'd run lines with her but the research didn't really go any further than that. It was pretty hard not to catch her exact phrasing. _Didn't really go any further_, is where I was stuck. That's not an absolute phrase. And who's to say she wasn't texting Jasper during her week in New York too. But while Bella was meeting with her manager, editor and various other colleagues, I figured I could put together my own little business meeting.

"Mr. Cullen, sir?" The deep voice interrupted my busy brain. "Are you going in, sir?"

I looked up at the burly security guard and then over to the line behind me. I'd taken a cab over to _Inspiration_ straight from work. It was barely eight-thirty and the line outside was already around the block. And I'd been standing in the doorway, my eyes on my phone and my mind a million miles away, trying to decide what my next step should be. Sighing, I slipped the phone into my pocket. I could answer Bella later. Right now, I had a cowboy to confront.

_Inspiration_ was dimly lit as always. Something I was thankful for, as I'd never entered the club from this entrance before. It was easy to admire the beautiful, nearly nude women who greeted you on the other side of the club. Getting the same treatment from a bevy of men was decidedly different. I wasn't the only guy in line but I was probably the only straight guy in line.

It never failed to impress me just how Alice could change the entire look of her club on any given night. With just three steps through the darkened doorway and I was in another world. One I felt strangely comfortable in. After all, I was wearing the same thing as the male dancers. They were all dressed in sharp suits. Sure, they were cut a little tighter than something you might see in a real office. But the illusion was something else. It was as if the entire place was filled with handsome business men ready to get real naughty with their sexy secretaries. I couldn't help but glance toward _Insight_ and wonder just what the lady dancers were wearing tonight. It was then that the music changed and my reason for being here appeared.

Jasper was clearly Alice's main attraction. Dressed in more clothing than the last time I'd seen him, he was still somehow incredibly suggestive. Maybe even more so. Or perhaps it was the women swooning all around him that led me to that conclusion. I wasn't above admiring a nice three piece suit when I saw it, but the cut of the pants left a little to be desired. The enormous bulge of his crotch left little to the imagination and I mentally scolded Alice for the costume. If I wore such an outfit to the office… well, perhaps after hours with Bella playing the dutiful secretary role…

Removing my phone from my pocket, I typed a quick message to Bella.

_I own more power ties than plaid. Want to type a memo for me?_

The bar was pretty empty now that Jasper was onstage and I took advantage of it. Securing an empty corner, I motioned to the bartender for a beer before turning my eye back to the blond dancer. I'd only come to have a private talk with Jasper but since he was working, I figured it couldn't hurt to do a little research of my own. Sure, he was good looking and fit but I wasn't entirely sure what else Bella might see in him. And even if I couldn't have the kind of relationship with her that I wanted, I needed to size up my competition for research partner. I wasn't entirely ready to admit to myself that I would take Bella however I could get her, but there were parts of my body that had already made that decision.

The ladies closest to the stage made quick work of removing Jasper's suit jacket. And I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised to find his shirt missing beneath it. Sure, he had on a tie and vest, but no shirt. Under the lights his biceps glistened and I had to wonder if he was really working up a sweat or did something ridiculous like oil up before hitting the stage. His face split into a wide, bright grin as he laid eyes on me.

Yup, baby oil it was.

Slugging back the beer, I took a step away from the bar. Jasper was clearly busy, we could talk later. Nothing wrong with killing my time on the other side of the club. The spotlight swung around the crowd as I made my way toward the doorway into _Insight_ the dark walk was suddenly very bright. And hot. A firm hand grabbed my arm and I whirled around to see Jasper inches away from my face. His blond tendrils were draped across his forehead in a sweaty mess.

_What the fuck, Cullen. Why are you noticing his hair?_

One glance down and I knew why I was noticing his hair. My only other options were his bare chest beneath the tight vest or bulging biceps. And I was pretty sure it got worse the lower you went. I tried, unsuccessfully, to wrench my arm free from his grip. But he was as strong as his muscles made him look.

"Want to dance, Edward?" Jasper's voice was low enough that only I could hear him. But the spotlight was burning brightly on us, blinding me. But I didn't need my sight to know that the crowd was watching us.

Jasper didn't wait for my response. Instead he rolled his hips toward me, barely touching my pants. The crowd whooped and hollered.

The lights were damn hot and I could feel the sweat starting to bead on my forehead. Unconsciously, I tugged at the tight knot of my tie and was immediately aware of the catcalls.

_Damn it. Seriously, Cullen. Your tie?_

Jasper cocked a curious eyebrow at me, as if he could read my mind. Keeping my lips in a tight line, I barely moved as I shook my head at him. Before I could get away, Jasper had moved around me. Standing behind me, he had his tight grip on my shoulders and he was tugging at my suit jacket.

"Oh Mr. Cullen," Jasper spoke loudly now. "You're late for the board meeting… we almost started without you!"

As if it was planned, the other male dancers yelled out in response.

"It's going to be a lo-o-ong meeting…" Jasper pulled my jacket from my shoulders and worked it down my arms. "You might want to get comfortable." His voice now came from below me. He'd removed my jacket and crouched low on the ground as he deposited it on the floor.

Now was my chance to escape. Clearly something Jasper was anticipating, as his hands clutched my lower legs.

_I am going to enjoy kicking this cowboy in the face,_ I thought.

Jasper's fingers were traveling up my legs and the encouraging female screams weren't doing anything to help me from feeling like a piece of meat. He got dangerously close to the family jewels before removing his hands from me. But before I could breathe a sigh of relief, he'd hooked his thumb into my pants pocket and took a step toward the crowd. I inadvertently staggered after him.

"What do you guys think?" Jasper called. "Is Mr. Cullen packing something lo-o-ong?"

The crowd shouted out. Jasper spun and was in my face again. I stood my ground as he tried to pull me closer but he kept his thumb in my pocket.

"So Edward?" Jasper winked at me.

"I'm afraid I'm not the exhibitionist you are, Jasper," I said as I grabbed his wrist and tossed his hand away from me.

"Hmm…" Jasper turned to the audience and from where I stood it looked like he grabbed his junk and stroked it before continuing. "Looks like someone failed to prepare their TPS reports…"

A mixture of boos and laughter filled the hot club air. I was looking for a way out but was blocked by Jasper and frozen in place by the bright spotlight. I could take booing. Having my suit ripped off by angry or horny patrons was a different situation altogether.

Jasper was in his element now. Reaching up to unbutton his vest, he gleefully accepted help from an enthusiastic audience member before giving her the vest as a parting gift. He smoothed the tie over his bare chest and rocked his hips into his hand as he stroked down past his stomach.

"Now, I always come prepared. Anyone wanna see my TPS report?" The excited answer came even before he asked the question.

Jasper had circled back to me and I was regretting not having tried to escape when I had the chance. He lifted my tie in his hand and let his fingers slip slowly down the length of it to the thrilled crowd.

"How 'bout you, Edward?" said Jasper.

Reaching up for the knot in my tie again, I yanked it so hard Jasper's hand flew from it. Ripping the tie from the collar of my shirt, I threw it into the darkness beyond the spotlight. From the shrieking yelp that called out, I was pretty sure my tie was gone forever. Lost in the clutches of horny women around us.

"Ooh…" Jasper hissed, playing to the crowd. "Looks like someone came prepared after all. But do y'all think his presentation will outshine mine?"

Jasper pumped his hips toward the screaming crush of people. They only got louder as he dragged his hands up and down his thighs. He grabbed the hand of girl at the edge of the spotlight and pulled her past the rim of light. Guiding her hand across his slick abs, she blushed furiously as Jasper licked his lips. Leaning in he whispered something in her ear and her eyes grew wide.

"What's your name, darling?" said Jasper.

"Bree."

"Well, Bree," Jasper drew out the vowels in her name. "Can I present my TPS report to you? You know, for a little… proofreading?"

After a quick glance out towards the darkness, she turned back to Jasper nodding vigorously. A loud symphony of screams rose.

"What do you think?" Jasper turned to the faceless crowd before us. "Is she up for proofing my…"

Jasper flicked his tie over his shoulder and raised his hands overhead.

"Total!"

Jerking his hips to the crowd, he dropped his head back and growled.

"Penetrating!"

Another wave of cries rose and Jasper brought his gaze to the crowd before biting into his lip.

"System!"

The other male dancers yelled out a chorus of "Yes! Yes!" and the sea of people joined in the chant.

Turning back to Bree, Jasper placed his hands on her hips and pulled her to him.

_What is it with him?_ I thought. _Does everyone have to come to him?_

She didn't seem to mind though. Taking a hand off of her hip, he slipped his thumb in his tight waistband. Pulling on the fabric, he freed it about an inch away from his flat abs and nodded toward the girl. Besides Jasper's invitation, she was getting plenty of encouragement from the audience. Leaning toward Jasper, she glanced down and her jaw immediately dropped. Whatever she saw housed inside his too-tight pants also had her weak in the knees. She fell forward and Jasper caught her, deftly swooping her into his arms.

"Oh, she likes what she sees alright!" Jasper grinned wickedly before setting the girl back down in the dark. "Looks like I'm approved to present my-"

Before Jasper could continue he was interrupted by another woman rushing towards us. She burst into the circle of light so suddenly that I was taken off guard. And was therefore totally unprepared to have her body suddenly wrapped around mine. Her hands tore at my shirt and pants at the same time.

"I'll take a look at him!" she screamed to the frenzied crowd.

Buttons flew from my shirt and her fingernails dug into my stomach as she worked to get my pants undone. Just as I was realizing there was no gentlemanly way to remove her from me, Jasper was by my side. Placing a firm grip on the woman's waist, he lifted her from me and placed himself between us.

"Now, now, darling. All in good time." Jasper consoled the disappointed woman. "I'm still not sure Edward here came prepared."

Still partly reeling from being clawed at by an overexcited patron, I still managed to hear the challenge in Jasper's voice. The buttons had already been removed from my shirt so I shrugged out of it and squared my shoulders toward Jasper. His jaw dropped a little but the cocky grin stayed right on his face. My attacker stood just behind him, hopping up and down on her toes in anticipation.

"I thought you weren't an exhibitionist," Jasper spoke quickly and quietly, just for me to hear.

"I'm not," I said. "But I don't back down from a challenge either."

Jasper nodded and threw another quick smirk in my direction. "Good. Bella likes a good show, after all."

The words rung in my ears as he danced my attacker back to her seat and did a few more moves for the crowd. It wasn't until I noticed his pants were loose around the waist and he seemed to be working his way out of them that I snapped out of it. There was no way I was going to get shown up by this son of a bitch. Reaching for my zipper, I heard a familiar voice. It was echoing over what sounded like a loudspeaker or intercom.

"Paging Mr. Cullen. Could Mr. Cullen please report to the CEO's office."

I whipped my head around but couldn't see anything beyond Jasper gleaming in the hot lights. The voice called out again but it was harder to hear over the loud hissing from the crowd. This time I recognized it though. It was Alice. She started her message a third time and I shrugged pointedly at the audience before backing into the blackness.

Alice was quickly at my side with my shirt in hand. She was practically dancing on her tiptoes as she helped me into it.

"Were you seriously planning on pulling a full frontal in my club?" She giggled.

"Hey, if I'm going to start somewhere…" I quirked a small smile at her.

Alice laughed loudly and ushered me away from the crowd and through the darkened doorways into _Insight_.

"You let me know when you want to make your debut and I'll make it happen," said Alice.

"Your debut?" It was Emmett.

_What the hell is he doing here?_

"What the hell are you doing here?" I asked.

Now that we were on the other side of the club I could see that Alice had made tonight a real office party. The girls were all dressed in skimpy versions of workplace attire. There were several areas made up to look like an office where one dancer was enjoying her boss' chair a little too much. And another where a desktop spanking was taking place.

"Nevermind," I mumbled as I took it all in.

Emmett snorted loudly and rapped on the side of my head with his knuckle. "Hey Dipshit, I'm here talking business with Alice. But from the sounds of it, I should catch the show on the other side."

"There was nothing to see," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Tell me about it," Emmett laughed loudly. "There is absolutely nothing identical about us, brother."

He threw a long arm around Alice's tiny shoulder and the two of them laughed together. I had to change the subject.

"Did we have a meeting?" I asked Alice, trying desperately to change the course of our conversation.

"No," said Alice. "Just me and the big guy here. He's trying to barter with me."

"Barter with you for what?"

"You know that whole hospital charity ball?" Emmett said.

"Yeah," I said. "The one you were meeting with Dr. Ice Queen Bitch about?"

Emmett glared at me but Alice laughed again.

"I'm trying to get the pixie here to back out of the bid," said Emmett.

"And as I've been telling you, Em, it'd be a great boost for the club to have that ball here," said Alice.

"You hardly need the publicity, Alice," I said. "Just look at this place."

She smiled proudly as she surveyed the club before turning back to us. "Yeah, but you can never have enough publicity."

"So is that a 'no'?" Emmett asked.

"Sorry, Emmett." Alice nodded.

Emmett pouted before glanced at me. His eyes narrowed and he turned back to Alice.

"What about him?" he asked.

"What about him?" Alice countered.

"This little debut. Putting on a show and tell with Little Eddie?" He asked excitedly.

"Wait! What the-" I started to say.

"You want to trade your brother's cock for the charity ball?" Alice raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Emmett practically shouted. "Two balls for one! That's a real bargain!"

Emmett was laughing too loudly at his stupid turn of phrase for me to get a word in. And Alice seemed to be seriously considering it. I was shaking my head and about to shout over him when Alice held up her hand. Emmett finally shut up as Alice twisted her mouth in thought.

"I like the idea…"

"Alright!" Emmett slapped me on the back.

"…but not Edward." Alice finished.

Emmett took a minute to hear her. The wide, happy grin across his face faded as he looked from me to her.

"Who-" he asked.

Alice lifted up to her toes and pressed a pointed finger into my brother's chest.

"You."

**END A/N: Anyone else wanna catch Emmett's debut? It won't be in the next chapter, but soon (only if you wanna read it, that is, let me know!)...**

**Now for two little bits of business:**

**1. First off, a huge THANK YOU to EdwardsBloodType and Cravingtwilight for the awesome rec! I was floored to suddenly get a slew of new readers/reviewers. So thank you both soooooo much! And welcome to all the newcomers!**

**2. There's a Twilight for every demographic, right? You can stick with the original books or get nice and dirty with the fan fiction... but wait, that leaves someone out! For the many Twilight moms that are out there, I'm sure you're dying to get your kiddos in on the action right? But how to make it kid-friendly... hmm... wait, I have it! (And here comes the shameless plug...) www(dot)blurb(dot)com/bookstore/detail/2680694**

**Thanks, as always, for reading and reviewing!**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Sorry if anyone felt short-changed by the lack of exchange between Edward and Jasper, but as I've been telling anyone who's reviewed... not that much happened! Bella awkwardly explained the deal with Jasper and kind of got the boys separated before anything could really happen. Of course, that's not to say Edward isn't a little jealous and perhaps looking to mark his territory... and Jasper... well he may be otherwise engaged. *Maybe.* ;)**

**Onto a little business before we get to Emmett's big debut! This chapter's fantasy lemon is courtesy of awheeler7 who suggested such an elaborate scene I couldn't resist writing it! Thanks again!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

BPOV

I was nervous. Really nervous. Which was ridiculous. It was only Edward.

_Yes, it's only Edward. In. Your. Apartment._

I bit the inside of my lip, annoyed that I could hear the anxiety in my head as well. My plan had seemed pretty solid on the train ride back from New York. But all it took was one little text from Edward and suddenly my plan and self control had unraveled into a forgotten pile on the platform at South Station.

We'd been playfully bickering back and forth about the scenario of our next encounter. And while I really didn't care whether he was an outdoorsy lumberjack or a ruthless shark in a suit, I started leaning toward lumberjack the more he protested it. There was something about getting him out of his comfort zone that I liked. He was powerful in a suit. But if I could get him into some jeans and a plaid flannel shirt, I wondered what would happen. If we were going to make this work, I desperately needed to be in control and I'd already slipped up more than once. He had to know that I was in charge. Grateful and secretly thrilled to have him on board, but still in charge.

_Which is why you have no idea who he's going to show up as. Right?_

Dammit. Unfortunately, he had an excellent way of distracting me. And while we'd nailed down where and when we'd meet, I never actually got a confirmation that he'd be showing up as my lumberjack. Luckily, either way my uniform fit the scenario. Obedient secretary or corporate forest-clearing bitch dressed the same in my mind. Fitted black skirt, white blouse with enough buttons popped to give me cleavage and spiky red heels.

"_Clap for the Wolfman…_" my phone buzzed on the table. I automatically cringed when the song lyric sounded again just seconds later. It was Quil. Again. This was the fifth time he'd texted me in two days and I was unsure of how to deal with him. He'd popped the question to Claire, she said 'yes' and they were headed to Vegas in a couple of weeks to tie the knot but he really wanted to come clean with her first. That left me with two options. Either engage in an incredibly awkward Skype chat with Quil's unsuspecting fiancé or the far more dangerous meet and greet in person. I wanted to be proud of Quil for being such a stand up guy but I was more annoyed than anything. Our relationship was over and our research together had nothing to do with Claire.

_Except for that little time Quil overlapped the two of you and only you knew about it._

If nothing else, my conscience was very sharp tonight. Grabbing my phone to stop the incessant singing, I glanced at his text.

"_We could meet halfway in Vegas if Arizona is too far."_

Well, he was trying to be accommodating. Of course, explaining everything to Claire a block away from the Little White Chapel was not exactly what I had had in mind. Burying the phone deep in my purse, I returned to pacing the livingroom. It was early enough in the night that I knew Alice and Jasper would be working for hours still. But Edward was usually so punctual. He was now officially ten minutes late and I was getting anxious.

A loud knock sent the butterflies in my stomach swirling. That wasn't the only part of my body that responded to the knowledge that Edward was on the other side of the door. Taking a deep breath and pressing my thighs together, I turned to the door. No matter how much I'd hoped that Edward would fulfill my lumberjack fantasy – er, research – I was convinced he'd show up in his usual sharp suit. But when I opened the door, I was surprised. Pleasantly surprised.

The plaid flannel shirt should have been a turn off. And on anyone else it would have been. The green and brown blocks set of his eyes perfectly and with the top button undone, more of his chest was showing than his usual dress shirt would allow. The auburn curls of hair against his flawless skin were begging to be touched. And then I looked lower. I'd never seen Edward in jeans before and my hands were immediately twitching at the sight of all they wanted to touch. A faded denim, the jeans looked comfortable with a few worn out spots around the pockets that his hands were shoved into. Finishing off the look were the chunky construction boots on his feet. The male lead in my mind had beat up these shoes with years of tromping through the woods. They should have been weather-beaten with nicked bits of leather where his ax fell a little close from time to time. But the ones on Edward's feet were brand new. The tawny leather boots looked as though they'd never even been worn outside. And if I knew Edward, he'd probably taken a car over. Just one ride on the T would've gotten them a little closer to the abused leather look I saw in my mind. Looking up to meet Edward's gaze, he lifted the corner of his mouth and I felt just a little lightheaded. Realizing I had been holding my breath, I opened my mouth and drew in the air around him. I usually found his scent to be intoxicating but mixed with the fresh leather of his boots sent my head spinning even more. Pulling a hand from his well worn pocket, Edward raked his long fingers through the gorgeous mess on his head and lifted his shoulders in a shrug.

"Is this what you had in mind?" He actually sounded a little nervous.

But at least he could talk. My mouth was somehow completely dry and all I could manage was a curt nod. Remembering at least to step back and gesture him in, I took advantage of no longer being trapped in his smoldering eyes to get back to breathing normally.

"Nice place," said Edward.

Closing the door behind me, I prepared to be under his gaze again as he quickly took in the apartment before returning his eyes to me. Prepared, but no less affected, I smiled his crooked grin back to him and pushed away from the door.

"Thanks," I said. "Would you like the tour?"

Edward closed the distance between us in just two steps and suddenly his lips were on mine. Melting into the sweet warmth of his mouth, I moaned as our tongues came together. He pressed harder into me for a second before pulling back. Keeping one arm wrapped around my lower back, he placed his forehead on mine and blinked those glowing green eyes at me.

"Only if it starts with the bedroom. Because I'm hoping to get out of this lumberjack get-up as soon as possible."

Laughing, I lowered a hand to the waist of his jeans and tucked my thumb inside.

"Right this way, then." Pulling him behind me, we nearly tripped over each other down the narrow hallway and into my room.

Edward wasted no time. Turning me swiftly in his arms, his lips were on mine again before moving down to my neck. It was only as he started tracing the tip of his tongue against my collarbone that I managed to catch my breath again.

"Uh, uh, uh. Not so fast, lumberjack." I pushed against his chest and noticed that somehow his shirt had already been completely unbuttoned.

_Did I do that?_

Edward frowned at me but took a big step back before pointedly shoving his hands deep into his pockets. My eyes unconsciously followed his hands and it was impossible not to notice the sizable bulge in his jeans. Catching myself, I looked back to his face and tried to ignore his cocky smirk. Brushing past him on the way to my desk, I called over my shoulder.

"If I wanted Jasper here, I'd have invited him, you know?"

"What the f- I mean, why would you say that?" The smirk was gone and the confused Edward I was more familiar with was back.

Laughing loudly, I grabbed the stack of papers I was looking for and turned back to Edward. Making my way to where he stood, I placed a hand on his chin and dragged my thumb across his lips.

"I like your cock but don't go getting too cocky on me."

Relief flooded his face and he bent down for a kiss but before he distracted me again, I shoved the papers at him.

"What's this?" He flipped through the stack.

"Your script. Of course, I'm not expecting you to memorize it or anything. I'm up for some improv. But this should help set the scene," I said.

Edward cocked an eyebrow but kept his eyes on the papers. His lips moved ever so slightly as he quickly read through my notes. Lifting his eyes, he glanced over his shoulder at my bed before looking back to me.

"So… no bed?"

I bit my lip and shook my head. "Do you mind?"

Edward's eyes were back on the papers and he'd flipped through to another page. "Not if we get to do this." His index finger pointed to the center of the page and even though I couldn't see what was written from where I stood, I had a pretty good idea what he was reading.

I nodded and straightened my skirt a little. "Just let me know when you're ready."

Edward walked slowly to my desk, eyes still on the script. Putting the papers down, he walked back to me and stood just inches away from. A slow, steady fire burned out from his eyes as he crossed his arms firmly over his chest. Cocking his chin upward a bit, he looked down the straight line of his nose at me. My breath was coming fast and light in chest again. When he opened his mouth, a rough rasp altered his usual honey smooth voice.

"There's a dress code in my forest and stilettos aren't part of it."

-0-0-0-

"If you're trying to keep me from doing my job, I will have you fired," I snarled back at the towering lumberjack who blocked my way. His laugh was a deep rumble that shook through my core like a heavy tree falling to the earth.

"Your job is in a fancy office building miles above the dirt and trees where I work. So go back to your glass tower, Princess, and let me do my job."

"Oh I'll leave you to your dirt as soon as I level these trees and build a high rise in their place," I said as I rose up on my stilettos in an attempt to get a little closer to his height. "Now get out of my way so I can get to my trailer and I'll leave you to your dirt."

Rather than waiting for the lumberjack to move, I stepped around him and carefully picked my way through the pock-mocked earth. I could feel him standing behind me, still not moving but hardly put in his place as I had intended. In fact, I was quite certain I could feel the annoying smirk in his eyes burning into my back.

"And it's ma'am," I called over my shoulder.

The inside of the trailer was bright and smelled brand new. My specifications about the décor had been followed to a tee and while it might have seemed ridiculous to some that I wanted such a posh work space while on site, I had my standards. Usually preferring to conduct business from inside the walls of my plush corner suite in the city, there was something about this project that made me want to be close to the daily grind of tree cutting and ground clearing. Tossing my briefcase onto the leather upholstered couch, I sunk deep into the arms of my office chair. Kicking off my heels, I stretched out my toes against the plush carpeting and leaned back, swiveling to face the large window that overlooked the soon to be demolished forest. The hint of relaxation that had begun to slip over me quickly retreated when I saw his face. The smirk still firmly in place, he was still standing exactly as I had left him. And then he took a step. Not toward the tractor that waited behind him, but toward my trailer. I was still grasping with my toes to reach at the abandoned shoes underneath my desk when he walked in. The metal door swung swiftly on its hinges before slamming into the wall. Catching it on the rebound, he pushed it just as hard back into its frame.

"Excuse me," I tried to sound stern but came off sounding more flustered.

"Oh I think it's a little late for that," the lumberjack spoke quietly but the low timbre of his voice still filled the room.

Forgetting about my shoes, I rose to my feet and glared at him.

"I'll call if I need you for something-" I began to say.

"I doubt that," he sneered.

I planted my hands on my hips and raised an eyebrow. Before I could speak, he had stepped closer still, leaving just my desk between us. Pressing his palms onto the fine wood, he bent down to my height.

"And I could give you a whole lot more than what you need."

I wanted to be saying something about sexual harassment, about lawyers and being fired. But the steady pulse I could see beating along the fine lines of his tanned neck was too distracting. The collar of his shirt was open and gaping slightly as he leaned over my desk. Inhaling sharply, I was overtaken by the outdoor smells of pine and fresh dirt that entered my trailer along with him. Unconsciously pressing my legs together, I heard a low chuckle escape his lips. Lips that looked good enough to bite. But it was the knowing look that glowed deep within his green eyes that made me find my voice again.

"That's right, huh, big boy? You know all about me, right? You know what I need and what I want?" I said, walking out from behind the desk.

He turned to face me, even taller now that my shoes were off.

"No, no, I'd never be so presumptuous," he spoke in a low voice. "Surprised I know such a big word?"

Shaking my head, I replied, "No. I don't make snap judgments about people."

"Neither do I," he said, leaning in closer. His face had lost all traces of teasing and his voice was on the edge of a growl. "I can't help it if I know your type."

Without realizing what I was doing, my hand was suddenly on his chest. My fingertips grazed against the top of his shirt, touching hot skin. Setting my face in as fierce a mask as I could manage, I gripped at his shirt and pushed against him.

"I'm not a type. I'm a woman." I snapped at him.

"Sure, sure." He made no move to take my hand from him. "A woman who loses the heels when there's no one around to impress."

A warm blush spread across my cheeks.

"A woman who wears clothes that are designed to show off her gorgeous legs, tight ass and perfect tits. A woman who wears her hair up just so you can fantasize about letting it fall all over you when she rides you. A woman who wears black lace panties underneath her clothes just to feel powerful and sexy. Especially when she has no idea what she's doing."

His heartbeat grew faster and stronger beneath my fingertips that were still clutching at his shirt. I had risen up to my toes and was now just inches away from his face. The sweet warmth of his breath spilled across my face with each of his infuriating words.

"So, princess, what do you say? Have any snap judgments to make about me now?" He challenged.

I held his gaze for a moment.

"If I were to engage in stereotypes, I'd say you talk a good game but wouldn't know what to do if you actually got up to bat."

I wanted to pry my fingers loose from his shirt but he clasped them to him with his large, hot hand.

"Oh, princess, I was the homerun king in high school."

The whisper was easy to hear now that our faces were just inches apart.

"Ha!" I threw my head back. "High school was a long time ago, lumberjack."

My eyes fluttered open just in time to see him moving in and suddenly his lips were on mine. The fire that coursed through my mouth was delicious and I couldn't get enough of it. Licking at his lips and tongue, biting to get a better hold, I lifted onto my toes and reached my other hand around his neck. Slipping my fingers into the soft tousled waves of his copper hair, I melted into his capable lips. His mouth left mine only to travel to my neck where he licked and sucked at the sensitive skin just below my ear. My whimper was answered by a low chuckle and the thought of that smirk on his face drove a dark blush of fury into my cheeks. Pushing away from him, I took a step back. If my sudden escape from his arms surprised him, he did a good job of hiding it. Leaning back to sit on my desk, he folded his arms across his chest and cocked an eyebrow at me. I tried my best to glare at him. Reaching out to me with one hand, he grabbed my arm before I could take another step back. Tugging on my elbow, he pulled me forward.

"I'd like to get my teeth on that pout," he growled.

"I'm sure you would," I said as I tried to yank my arm back.

Pressing my legs together, I tried to twist away from him. Glancing down at my skirt, he suddenly laughed again.

"What's so funny?" I practically shouted.

"Panties a little wet, are they?" he quirked his eyebrow again and I launched myself at him.

Pushing him back onto my desk, I leaned forward and hovered over his gorgeous face.

"Is that a 'no'?" His lips twisted into that damn smirk again.

"Oh, it's a 'no' alright," I said, clutching his shirt in my fists again. Wrenching my hands apart, I exposed the firm, sculpted muscles I had suspected were hiding beneath his plaid flannel shirt.

Planting my knees on either side of his thighs, I had him exactly where I wanted him. My skirt was stretched tight across my hips and thighs, threatening to tear at the seams. My lumberjack's hands were only encouraging the fabric to rip apart as he slid his large palms up towards my hips. His thumbs reached beneath my skirt and stroked the smooth flesh of my upper thighs. My breath hitched as he slid closer and closer to where I wanted his hands. It was then that his eyes left mine and his head jerked up from the table. Quirking an eyebrow, he swiped the wide pad of one thumb up my dripping slit. Bringing the moist thumb to his lips, he slowly sucked on it. Dropping low, barely grazing his body with mine, I leaned close to his lips that were now covered in my arousal.

"I don't wear panties," I whispered.

Moving slowly but steadily, his lips were on mine again. Sucking and kissing, taking the taste of my lips and tongue into his mouth. Both of his hands had returned to my hips and made fast work of moving my skirt out of the way. Now that he had unobstructed access, his fingers lightly played against the soft skin of my pussy. Whimpering into his mouth, I wanted more of him. Slowly pushing myself up to sit, I looked down at the significant rise in his jeans just below me. Grasping his belt buckle, I tugged on the wide brass fixture.

"Let's see what the lumberjack's packing… see if you're all talk…"

He settled his head back onto his hands, letting me do all the work. Finally freeing his belt buckle, I whipped it from his jeans and threw it to the floor. Popping the button on his fly, I lifted up higher onto my knees. Instead of unzipping him, I spread my legs a little wider before lowering down onto the rough denim of his pants. Rubbing the slick folds of my pussy against his jeans, I bit into my lip and heard a moan escape his mouth. Pressing down harder, the fabric rubbed against my sensitive clit and I felt my legs start to shake. I grappled at his muscular chest, trying to get a hold on him as I dragged my heated center against him. His hands were on my hips again, holding me up and away from him. I looked down at him to see fire in his eyes.

"Take 'em off. Now."

Feigning confusion, I cupped my hands over my tits, grabbing my blouse. "You mean this?"

His head made a hollow thunk as it hit the desk beneath him. I suppressed a giggle as I watched his eyes roll back into his head.

"Fuck yes, take that off too," he murmured.

"Okay," I agreed.

Lowering myself back down onto his impossibly stiff jeans, I rolled my hips in circles. The tension was building between my legs again as I slowly unbuttoned my blouse. Before I even noticed his eyes back on me, his hands were over mine. Hurrying me along, he had my shirt on the floor along with his belt in record time. The grin spread over his face as he took in my black lace-covered tits.

"Told you-"

I shut him up with a kiss. Slipping his hands beneath the lace fabric of my bra, he lightly stroked my nipples. Without thinking, my hands were back on his jeans. Quickly unbuttoning the rest of his fly, I rose up on my knees and pulled back from him again. Wanting to see just what I was in for, I tugged anxiously on his jeans until they rested just below his hips. I wasn't the only one going commando.

Licking my lips, I chanced a glance up at him. He raised one eyebrow and lifted his hips slightly off my desk. Running my tongue over my lips again, slower this time, I ducked my head a little lower. Circling my tongue again, I stuck it out just far enough to brush the tip against the rigid skin of his incredible cock. He shuddered beneath me and I grinned, looking up at him from underneath my eyelashes. Blinking slowly I wrapped both hands around his generous girth. Tugging a little, I bit into my lower lip and stuck out my tongue again. Lapping at the swollen head of his huge cock, I sat back but kept my hands firmly in place on my favorite body part of the lumberjack.

"Suck me or fuck me, princess," he growled, his green eyes blazing.

Narrowing my eyes, I tightened my grip on him and lifted up on my knees again. Lowering myself just a little, I matched the fervor in his voice. "Maybe first I'll fuck and then I'll suck…"

"All talk?" he smirked.

"You wish," I smiled back at him.

"Definitely not."

He lifted his hips up again, forcing his hard cock sliding through the tight grip of my fists and closer to my waiting pussy. Not able to wait any longer, I released him from my hands and sunk down, taking him all in. My inner walls clenched tightly around the enormous throbbing cock that was suddenly buried deep inside of me. Throwing my head back with a breathless gasp, I rolled my hips front and back a little, pulling him in even further. The lumberjack grunted and clutched at my hips, forcing me to hold still.

"All talk then, huh, lumberjack?" I tried to wriggle under the heat of his large hands.

That fucking eyebrow raised again and he pressed his fingers deeper into my skin. Moving slowly, he lifted me off of him. As I felt his thick cock slowly slipping out of me, I whimpered a little at the loss. Stopping just before pulling out of me completely, he flexed his fingertips into my flesh and pulled me down onto him. Our bodies came together quickly before he lifted me up again. Increasing his pace, he stroked his cock with the tight walls of my pussy. It was becoming difficult to concentrate and my hands had little luck finding hold on the lumberjack's perfect midsection. Arching my back, I grabbed behind me at the smooth finish of my perfect desktop. Angled deeper now, he pulled me down again and I screamed despite myself. Pleasure ripped through my body and he lifted me again. Another wild stroke and another orgasm came crashing down on me. Unable to hold my head up, I fell forward onto his sweat-drenched body. Reaching my hands into his wild hair, I pulled at it from the roots and bit at his lips. His hands left my hips and reached between us to stroke the sides of my tits. Cupping my breasts, he pinched at my nipples and forced me back a little.

"Now that I've proven I'm not just all talk… it's your turn."

Confusion flooded my face, there was no way I could remember what he might possibly be talking about.

"Fuck me, then suck me. Remember?"

Oh right. That.

Pushing off of his chest, I sat up on him and reached my hands to my hair. Tugging gently on the silver comb holding my hair back, I released my mahogany curls in a long cascade down my bare back. Shaking my hair out, I started rocking my hips again. The wetness from my orgasms made the movement slick and fast. My pussy pulsed around his long cock and I leaned over him again. The tips of my hair fell across his chest. Wrapping my small hands around his broad shoulders, I steadied myself and lifted off of him. Feeling his impressive length glide in and out of me was almost too much too bear. Panting wildly, I could feel myself coming undone again. In deeper and deeper, I pulled at him with my tightening inner walls. Sliding up his perfect body, I let my erect nipples drag against the fine hairs on his chest. Moving faster and more frantically, he took advantage of my position to take one nipple between his teeth. Tugging and licking at it, he released me as I plunged back down on him. Lavishing the other nipple with the same attention as I moved up his body again, my legs began to shake. The tremble grew and worked to the center of my legs before bursting apart as I pulled him deep within. Moaning and moving faster still, I rode out the orgasm while the lumberjack teased my nipples. Clutching and scratching at the hard muscles of his shoulders, I dug my nails in and screamed again. Burrowing my teeth into the scruff along his jawline, I licked at the rough hairs that framed his beautiful face. My legs were unable to hold me up now and I fell onto his body as he continued thrusting into me. His lips found my neck and one of his hands was back on my tits. The other snaked between our bodies and was slipping between the small space where we came together. Spreading my wet folds just enough to reach my clit, he started softly pinching the sensitive bud of nerves. My moans were growing again and I licked at his neck and ear as I tried to control the sounds coming out of my mouth. The lumberjack was growling in my ear, speaking profanities that were only bringing me closer to yet another orgasm. His soft pinching on my clit grew to more frantic strokes as his hips thrust harder. His cock was ecstasy as it slid deep within, the friction nearly tearing me apart. Unable to scream again, I bit into his earlobe as the waves of pure pleasure overtook me once again. My fingers lazily grasped at the bronze strands of his hair as my body gave out on his. His long fingers gently traced a line along my naked back and I tried to slow my breathing to match the steady beat of his heart. Finding my voice again, I laughed lightly. The low rumble of his voice made my stomach flip.

"Something funny?"

Lifting my head just enough to look into his gorgeous eyes, I solemnly shook my head.

"No. But I'm seriously considering putting it in the contract that you have to cut down these trees one by one, just you and a chainsaw. No crew, no shirt, no pants… maybe the boots though." I laughed again and laid my head down on his chest.

But I didn't get to stay there for long. He was moving, rolling us so that he hovered over my drenched and satisfied body.

"It'll take awhile to clear the forest that way."

"Hmm," I said. "I'll just have to think of some way to kill all that time then."

He nodded and slid off of me to stand at the edge of my desk.

"You can start by honoring your word." He gestured to his still hard cock. Long and thick and glistening with the juices of my many orgasms, I felt my nipples peak. Sitting up, I licked my lips and slid off of the desk. The plush carpeting of my office floor felt like heaven on my knees but the sight in front of me was even better. Leaning forward, I took the length of his pulsing cock slowly into my mouth. Drawing back, I let him pop out of my mouth. Tracing a fingertip around my wet mouth, I hummed in pleasure. Looking up at him, I smiled wide.

"I taste amazing on you."

-0-0-0-

Typing furiously, I didn't notice Edward was awake until he was placing soft kisses on the back of my neck. Throwing my hand up to block the computer screen was a natural defense by now, but when I turned to look over my shoulder he was already sitting on the bed. Too far away to read anything.

"Sorry, did I wake you with all my furious typing?" I asked.

We'd finally made our way to my bed after our research was through and while he promptly fell asleep, my mind was wide awake with words that I just had to write down.

Edward laughed and shook his head while running a hand through his thoroughly fucked hair that stood up on end. "No. Thanks for letting me crash though."

He bent over to retrieve an errant boot and it was then that I noticed he already has his jeans back on. I must have been really lost in my writing to have not noticed him getting dressed. As much as sleepovers with research partners wasn't really my thing, I was a little sad at the thought of him going.

"No problem," I shrugged. "So you're not curious to read how we translate?"

Shoving his foot into the found boot, he shook his head again. "I lived it, I don't think I need to read about it." Both boots on, he stood up and walked over to me. I had turned in my chair to talk to him and he took advantage of my position. Leaning down, he placed a soft kiss on my forehead before moving down to my lips. Pulling back, he grinned. It took a minute for my eyes to focus and I realized he was reading over my shoulder. Sliding over in my chair to block the screen, I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Hey-" I started to protest.

"But I'd say that blow job warrants at least ten pages or more."

Standing up, I reached behind me to close the laptop before facing him again.

"I only take notes from my editor," I said, smirking at him.

He pulled me in for another soft, slow kiss. My body hummed as it came in contact with the long, lean lines of his. He was so warm and smelled of sex. I just wanted to crawl back into bed with him. Screw the writing, I wanted to screw him.

"Hey… I was thinking," he said. "Could I ask you out?"

Between our proximity and only the dim light from my desk lamp, my thoughts were running wild with things I wanted to do with Edward. It took me a minute to register what he said.

"Out?" I hesitated.

"There's this charity masquerade ball-"

"Oh shit. Rosalie's thing!" I said.

Edward looked surprised. "Yeah, you know about it?"

"Oh yeah, it's a big thing with Alice. But shit, I totally forgot about Rosalie." Edward gave me a questioning glance. "I'm avoiding her." I explained.

"Oh," he said. It was hard to tell in the darkness but he looked a little sad.

"No, the problem is, I'm avoiding her but I already told Alice I'd go. Shit." I sat back on the edge of my desk and chewed on my lip. "She's helping me research this other book…" I muttered, half-talking to myself.

"Rose? She's- uh- you two are re-researching together?" Edward stammered.

"Yeah," I said, still lost in my own little world. It was only when I looked up at Edward that I could see the slack-jawed surprise with which he spoke. Jumping up, I clutched his forearms and shook him a little, laughing. "Not like that, Edward! Jesus. That's seriously something guys want to see? Nevermind. I'm gonna pretend I didn't just say that."

Edward was slow to come out of his stupor, and now that I had started rambling it wasn't easy to stop.

"She's the doctor I'm shadowing as research for my serious novel. You know? My breakthrough novel that's supposed to get me away from all the smut writing. I just had such a shitty time doing rounds with her that I'm so not looking forward to-"

Edward held his finger up to my lips, a smile now playing on his. "If I pretend not to be disappointed about you and Rosalie, will you come to the ball with me?"

I took a deep breath before starting to speak again.

"That's the thing, I'm already going. Alice said she might be having it at the club and I already agreed to go in support of her."

"That doesn't mean you can't go as my date," Edward said.

"I don't know." I bit on my lip again. "Food, dancing, fancy clothes. That's like a serious date. I don't really do serious. Or dates."

"Just… this." He gestured to my bed and I nodded slowly.

Taking a step back, he grabbed his shirt from the floor and slipped it on.

"How 'bout a non-date?" He asked.

"I'm afraid to ask," I said, smiling at his persistence.

"It just so happens that my brother is trying to land the masquerade ball as a gig for our firm. He has a duel planned with Alice. In fact, I'm surprised she didn't tell you."

I shrugged, there was the vague memory of Alice going on about Emmett but I couldn't say I was really listening to her at the time.

"Well, Emmett is going to be putting on a little show at the club. It should be good for a laugh. Turns out, he has a little thing for Rosalie and would go to great lengths to work closely with her on that party."

"He has a thing for Rosalie?" I asked, trying not to make a face.

"My brother's a complicated man," Edward laughed.

"So, this non-date? We meet there?" I asked.

Edward nodded, buttoning up his shirt.

"Jeans, t-shirt?" I asked.

He gestured to his clothes, nodding again.

"Dancing?"

"We'll leave that to Emmett and Jasper," Edward said.

I quirked my eyebrow but Edward was quick to reiterate that only Emmett and Jasper would be dancing. A small part of my mind started to work on the idea of Edward as a stripper. It might take a little convincing, but I didn't think it was completely out of the question.

Walking back to me, Edward tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "Now I can't promise there won't be food…"

"I think I can handle food," I breathed.

Closing the distance between our lips a little more, Edward spoke again. "Oh yeah?"

"Best thing to keep energy up."

"What would we be needing our energy for, Bella?" Edward's lips brushed mine.

"You're new to this whole research thing, Edward. Do you have any idea how many sex scenes there are in a typical romance novel?"

Dipping his lips to the corner of my mouth for a quick kiss, he spoke softly. "No idea."

"There could be sixty, or seventy even." I tried to speak in a level voice but the warmth of his lips was very distracting.

"Is that so?" He murmured.

"Absolutely," I said. "If you want to help me over to my desk, I'll show you the official report on those numbers."

"I think I'd like to see that," Edward answered. Taking full advantage of my parted lips, he slipped his tongue into my mouth. Sealing our lips together, I felt him lift me from the floor and carry be backward. We slowly explored each others mouths before I felt him set me down on the desk. Pulling him down even closer to me, I wrapped my legs around his waist. Stroking at his tongue more anxiously, I reached behind me until I felt my laptop. Lifting it from the desk, I blindly slid it to a nearby chair before giving both of my hands over to the task of removing Edward's half-buttoned shirt. The writing could wait.

**END A/N: Trying desperately to get at least one more chapter posted before the holiday... as a little (or big) gift for my loyal readers! Thanks for reading!**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Merry Christmas from _Inspiration_! Ready to enjoy a little show from Emmett? (My apologies for any typos, grammatical errors, etc. I promised to try to post before Christmas and wanted to keep that promise!)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but hope you all get an Emmett under your tree!**

_Edward texting Bella:_

Edward: Don't tell me you're bailing on our non-date to go to Vegas.

Bella: How do you know about Vegas? Oh wait. Alice, right?

Edward: Don't change the subject.

Bella: The non-date is still on! :D

Edward: Good. Need help packing for Vegas?

Bella: Got something on your mind, E?

Edward: I heard its good luck to bring a virgin when you go gambling. I've never been to Vegas.

Bella: You are so not a virgin.

Edward: A Vegas virgin.

Bella: Looking to break in a few beds at the Bellagio?

Edward: Hell, I was talking about blackjack… but beds I can do!

Bella: I know. Is Emmett nervous?

Edward: I keep forgetting you've never met Emmett.

Bella: It'll be quite the introduction.

Edward: Still on the lookout for research partners?

Bella: You nervous, E?

Edward: Me…? So are you?

Bella: No. I've got a very diligent and capable researcher right now.

Edward: :D

Bella: I'd think Emmett would be nervous letting it all hang out for Dr. Ice Cold Bitch.

Edward: Sure, if she was gonna be there.

Bella: She's not?

Edward: No way. Emmett'll do anything for the job but I don't think he'd want Rosalie to know that.

Bella: I hope Alice knows that.

Edward: Why? Think she'd do something?

Bella: You mean like invite Rosalie?

Edward: Yeah.

Bella: Yup.

Edward: Shit.

Bella: Exactly.

Edward: Glad I'm not Emmett.

Bella: I don't know… you looked pretty hot with your face all busted up.

Edward: Say the word and I'll step in front of her fist again.

Bella: You'd do that for me?

Edward: All in the name of research, Bella.

-0-0-0-

EPOV

The second door on my left was unmarked but Emmett's voice beckoned me in when I knocked. He was getting ready in the men's dressing room but appeared to be the only one there for the moment. His back was to me when I walked in, closing the door behind me.

"All ready for your big-" I started to say. But Emmett turned around before I could finish and the ensuing laughter made it impossible for me to continue talking.

Instead of being insulted, Emmett spread his lips in a wide grin that showed off all of his teeth.

"Impressive, huh?"

Still unable to open my mouth without laughter pouring forth, I brought a hand over my mouth and just nodded. Emmett was wearing the same thing Alice typically put her male dancers in. Almost nothing. It was the "almost" that had me nearly hyperventilating. Directly over his crotch was a red sack that was fairly unspectacular aside from the shiny fabric it was made from. It was the ornate gold bow at the top of it that made his dick look like a present waiting to be unwrapped. It was only then that Alice's theme night clicked in my head. The club was celebrating "Christmas in July" with "Surprises Being Unwrapped All Night Long!"

My suppressed laughter bubbled up into a fit of giggles that I was having a really hard time controlling. Emmett looked so ridiculous with his family jewels all dressed up for the holiday. The mirrored walls only served to multiply the number of Emmett's I had to look at, no matter which way I turned. Collapsing into a chair, I tried taking deep breaths and just looking at the floor.

"Whatever, dude. I look hot and the best part is. All I gotta do is give the ladies here a little treat and I score that masquerade ball."

Emmett had turned away from me and was flexing for himself in the mirrors.

"And men," I managed to finally choke out, wiping the tears from my eyes.

"What?" Emmett asked.

"Men. Don't forget there are plenty of guys here too."

"Let 'em look. I don't mind the gays fantasizing about me too."

And there he was. The brother I knew and loved. This was the guy that had been missing for so many weeks. Ever since meeting Rosalie.

"So, did you just come back here to laugh at me?" Emmett was striking various poses for himself now.

"Uh, no," I bit back a chuckle. "I thought I'd offer a little brotherly support, but it looks like you're doing just fine."

"Hells yeah. But thanks, bro. I'm impressed you stopped sucking face with Bella for ten seconds to think of me." He grinned at me in the mirror.

Narrowing my eyes, I leaned forward in the chair. "That's a completely inaccurate measure of time. Besides she's not here yet."

It was Emmett's turn to let out a loud laugh. Turning back around to face me, he sat down on the make-up counter just in front of the mirrors.

"Did she stand you up? On your first official date?" Emmett asked.

I cringed and brought a hand over my eyes. "Isn't there a robe you can use or something, Em? I am so not having this conversation with that view of your ass in my face."

"You don't have to look, Eddie." Emmett threw back at me as he crossed the room to retrieve a robe. Throwing it over his shoulders, he shrugged into it but left it untied. "Happy now? So, where's Bella?"

"We're meeting here. Remember? It's a non-date." I said.

"Yes, of course. The ridiculous non-date date. I can't wait to hear how things go in biology later." Emmett rolled his eyes.

"I'm not entirely sure you should be calling me out for being juvenile. You're about to unwrap your cock like some wasted frat boy. For a girl." I said.

"A gig. Not a girl." Emmett countered.

"So you wouldn't care if Rosalie was here then, right? I mean, if you're not doing it to get her?" I wasn't planning to tell him that she may actually be coming tonight, but he was being such a prick about the whole non-date thing.

"I don't think I have to worry about her showing up here," Emmett smirked.

"Oh yeah?" I said.

"She didn't want to see Jasper shaking his ass before, you really think she'll show up here again?" Emmett crossed his arms over his chest, completely sure of himself.

And just like that, the devil walked in. And he brought company.

"Well, well, if it isn't the Cullen boys!" Jasper called out loudly as he strutted into the room. I wasn't shocked to find him completely naked but wasn't really thrilled to be sitting either. Being eye level with that jackass' junk was not something I needed. Abruptly standing, I nodded curtly to him but he had already moved on. He was looking at himself in the mirror and the guy he'd walked in with was following him. At least he was wearing a robe. Jasper looked over at Emmett.

"Ready for your big debut, brother?"

"Totally," Emmett grinned not entirely unfriendly at him.

"They'll just eat you up, man." Jasper turned his attention back to the mirror. Grabbing a small bottle from the counter, he popped the cap open and poured some sort of liquid into his hand.

"Not much of a Christmas party if you're already unwrapped, Jasper." I said.

Rubbing his hands together, he glanced at me in the mirror from behind his blond curls.

"Itching to get out of those jeans and t-shirt and join us, Eddie? We'd love to have you." He had the audacity to wink at me.

Looking to Emmett for a little camaraderie, I realized pretty quickly I was on my own. Emmett had turned back to the mirror and was leaning over toward Jasper.

"What's that, man? You gotta let me in on any tricks of the trade I might need to know." Emmett said.

"This," Jasper drawled, "will make your skin shine like the Christmas star itself. Come on, Mike, let's show Emmett how it works."

Jasper had turned to the guy behind him who quickly removed his robe. Although his back was to me, I could easily make out the front of Mike from the reflection in the mirrors. Naked as well, he and Jasper both made Emmett look completely overdressed. Jasper's hands finally came apart and clamped down on Mike's shoulders. Rolling circles around the muscles of his upper arms, they suddenly became slick and smooth-looking.

"The best body oil in the biz, Emmett." Jasper proceeded to rub Mike down, targeting the lines of each of his abdominal muscles before dropping to his knees to get his legs done as well. "Squeeze me a little more, would you, Em?" Jasper called from the floor and Emmett, who was mesmerized by what he was seeing, blindly grabbed for the bottled and ducked down to hand it to Jasper.

Clearing my throat loudly, Emmett shot me a glance as I lifted my eyebrows. He was inches away from this Mike guy's package and suddenly way too interested for my taste. Jasper ducked a little lower and peered at me from between Mike's spread legs.

"Are we blocking your view, Eddie?" Keeping his head low, Jasper slipped his hands around the back of Mike's lower legs. Stroking his calves until they glistened, Jasper worked his hands upward until his hands were just below Mike's bare ass. Emmett's eyes were on the bottle, a crease between his eyebrows as he concentrated on the small print on the packaging. Jasper eyes were on me. Spreading his fingers wide, he gripped Mike's ass and stroked large circles of oil onto it. Lowering my eyes to floor, I decided it was time for me to go. Emmett could do what he wanted, I was not about to stick around for the threesome they would rope him into in any minute.

"Come on, Cullen, lighten up." Jasper was standing again, having walked behind Mike to finish oiling up his back. "It's not like you can know exactly what you like until you've tried everything, right?"

I could make out Mike's face pretty easily now in the mirror. The silly smirk he had plastered on wasn't doing anything to make me any more comfortable.

"I can't say I agree with that, Jasper. If you like women, you don't tend to sleep with guys." I said.

"What the fuck- What are we talking about?" Emmett had returned to us and was looking wildly from Jasper to me.

"Eddie's trying to convince me he's never given cock a chance." Jasper whispered conspiratorially to Emmett, winking at me again in the mirror.

"Ed-" Emmett's eyes were wide and round.

"Fuck no, Emmett," I practically shouted before glancing Mike's face in the mirror. "Not that there's anything wrong with that… but no, I can't say I ever felt compelled to go that way."

Jasper was back in front of Mike, sliding his moist palms together again. "Shall we really blow Eddie's mind?" Jasper asked Mike.

Grin still firmly in place, Mike shook his head with a little laugh. "Jas, you're such a tease. But I'm only letting you lube up my cock if I get to use it… with you." Mike turned on his heel and started out the room, but not before Jasper gave him a sharp smack on his ass. Mike hopped a little on his toes, throwing a playful glance back at Jasper before leaving the dressing room.

Turning back to Jasper who was now oiling himself up, I tried to keep my jaw from dropping.

"So you're gay?" I asked.

"No, definitely not," said Jasper. "But I am open-minded."

"Hey dude, can I use some of this?" Emmett was clearly not following anything that was going on around him. Jasper nodded and Emmett joyously poured some of the oil into his hands.

Looking away while Jasper got a few strokes on his cock to oil it up, I heard his bare feet padding across the floor. Opening the door to leave, he stopped and turned to me. "But when you're young and inexperienced, it's kinda nice to know that you're working the equipment the right way." With another wink he was gone.

Turning slowly back to Emmett who was busy smearing his arms with oil, I just shook my head. If there was ever a time I needed to see Bella, this was it. Without a word, I left my brother to get ready for his debut.

BPOV

I balanced the two drinks in one hand while pocketing my wallet. By the time I'd reached Alice, she was frowning.

"What?" I asked, handing her a drink.

"Did you just pay for drinks in my club?"

"Yes. That's how you make money, Alice. By charging for drinks." I said.

"Yeah, but not charging my sister," she said. "Besides, it's not the bar that makes me money."

"I believe it," I murmured.

We were standing toward the back of _Insight_ and in front of me was a sight that was nothing short of amazing. When Alice decided on a theme night for the club she usually went all out but this was unreal. The room was adorned with presents for her "Christmas in July" party, the most impressive being the ones that were dangling down from the ceiling. Long red ribbons hung from the ceiling all over the club and each one had a female dancer performing the most incredible acrobatics high above the floor. If Cirque du Soleil was performed in the nude, this is what it would look like. I said exactly that to Alice.

"Thanks, the girls have really been working hard to make it look effortless. But I did hear they have a nude Cirque du Soleil in Vegas. Maybe you and Edward can check it out and let me know how we compare." Alice smirked.

"Uh, yeah, about that," I started. "Why does Edward know about Vegas?"

Alice shrugged. "I think it came up during a meeting."

Before I could even attempt to put Alice in her place, I spotted Edward. Making his way from the corner of the room to us, he frowned when he saw the glass in my hand.

"What's that?" He asked when he finally reached us.

"One of the signature holiday cocktails they're serving tonight." I took a sip and quickly swallowed the bitter, burning drink. "And it's incredibly bad."

"No way!" Alice practically shrieked as she stole the glass from me and took a generous sip. Handing it back to me, Alice frowned at me as well. "Bella, that's what it's supposed to taste like!"

"Battery acid?" I sniffed at the offensive liquid in my hand.

"People want to get drunk at a club, Bella. That's why they're here." Alice rolled her eyes.

"Let me get you a water," Edward offered. "I'm pretty sure we agreed I could get you a drink."

"No, no, I'm fine," I said. "I'm not drinking this, but I'm good for now."

"See what I'm dealing with?" Edward turned to Alice.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I interjected.

"Edward thinks you're playing hard to get." Alice grinned.

Turning my back to Alice, I lifted an eyebrow in Edward's direction. "What about when I was sucking your cock the other night. Was that me playing hard to get?

Alice's tiny frame was backed up against mine, her chin on my shoulder as she addressed Edward again. "I don't know about you, Edward, but if it's not every night then she is playing hard to get."

"Alice!" I whirled around just as she was winking at him. He was far too intent on our conversation for my liking. Turning back to him, I placed my hands on his shoulders and steered him away from us and pointed to the nude women suspended by ropes overhead. "Take in the view for a second. I need to have a word with my sister."

Turning back to Alice, I leaned closely to her ear. The music was getting louder as the crowd grew and I wanted to make sure she heard me.

"I don't need you trying to convince Edward that there's something more here."

"You sure there isn't?" She spoke back in my ear.

"Alice," I spoke through gritted teeth. "I like things the way they are. And your intuition when it comes to men-"

Alice had backed away from me before I could finish. Looking up, Edward was standing quite close, his back turned to the entertainment in the room.

"Not interested in the show, Edward?" Alice cooed, smirking at me again.

"Not unless Bella can do that. Can you?" He asked.

"Not unless you want to act out a doctor-patient scenario. Alice is the contortionist, not me." I said, shaking my head.

"I think I could handle playing doctor." It was only now that I realized his arm had somehow made its way around my waist.

"Gymnast, Bella," Alice interrupted my attempts to step away from Edward. "Gymnast, not contortionist."

"Yeah, you're a lot of things, Alice," I muttered.

Shuffling my feet a few steps toward Alice, Edward's grip tightened and he leaned closer to the two of us.

"I ran into your sexual-harassment-lawsuit-waiting-to-happen backstage," Edward said.

"Jasper?" Alice lifted an eyebrow. "Oh, he's harmless."

Edward shot me a quick look and I could feel the blush rise on my face.

"Well, the near-hand job I just witnessed begs to differ," he said.

I was shocked to hear Alice merely laugh in response.

"A near-hand job isn't a hand job, Edward." She said.

Leaning into Alice, I whispered loudly. "Is Jasper gay?"

"No, Bella," Alice tsked. "But he is experienced. And that's what makes him my best employee." She turned to Edward and placed a small hand on his chest. "No more PR nightmares when it comes to Jasper, I promise. Besides, he's not even dancing tonight."

The look that fell across Edward's face was pure bewilderment. Replacing Alice's hand on his chest, I was surprised by the slight jolt of electricity that stung my hand but Edward looked down at me. Nodding across the room, he followed my gaze to see the reason why Jasper wouldn't be dancing tonight. Rosalie. As still as an ice cold statue, she stood at the end of the bar, just steps away from the entryway into _Inspiration_.

-0-0-0-

Alice welcomed Rosalie into our group as we made our way across to the other side of the club. Edward's arm slipped from my waist only to have his hand settle around mine. While I wasn't quite sure I was on the same page with him about the hand holding, we were in sync as we crossed by the glass display windows that separated _Inspiration _from _Insight._ Ribbons were clearly a theme tonight and the red ones being used by the male and female dancers inside were being put to very good use. Various forms of bondage had my mind spinning, trying to imagine a heroine that would be well suited for such activities.

There was the platinum blonde with a tiny waist and huge tits that were accentuated by the satin ribbon wrapped around her torso and then knotted into a large bow just under her ample chest. A brunette nearby was sporting her ribbon like a tail, with bands of silk wrapped around her naked upper thighs. She was also wielding another length of ribbon that she was using to playfully whip a male dancer – I'm pretty sure it was Tyler – who was bound and gagged with the same burgundy fabric.

Edward's grip tightened on my hand and glancing up at him, I could see he would likely be willing to do some first-hand research on some of the scenarios playing out in front of us. He caught my eye and quirked up the side of his mouth before winking suggestively. Pulling him down to me, I got as close to his ear as possible so he could hear me over the music.

"We can make a list later. Right now, I don't want to miss the show."

I took advantage of our linked hands and tugged him through a doorway in the live bondage exhibit and caught up to Alice and Rosalie. Settling into a dark spot near the far wall, Rosalie wasted no time turning on me.

"How's the book coming, Bella." She didn't even really say it as a question. And the smirk on her face was pretty telling. She knew I wasn't working on it.

"I'm afraid I've got a touch of writer's block," I said.

"Is that so? How do you get through it?" Her smirk was still firmly in place.

"Uh," I said as I was trying not to blush or stammer. "Um, well… you write, I guess. Even if it sucks, just keep plugging away at it."

"Even. If. It. Sucks." She said. "Huh, interesting." Lifting her eyes to meet Edward's suddenly, she feigned surprise at his presence. "Edward! I had no idea you'd be here."

"Well, I like to support _my _brother. Even if he's being a dumb ass." Edward snapped.

"Dumb ass, yes. Hard ass… I suppose only time will tell." Rosalie said as she pointedly looked at her watch.

Edward laced his fingers between mine, holding me to him. If our holding hands was the only thing keeping him from punching her in the face, then I'd gladly indulge him. Wrapping my free hand over our joined ones, I gave him a little squeeze.

When Rosalie looked up all traces of her smirk were gone. In its place was a wide, bitchy grin. "I thought you would've been better looking without the black eye. Hmph."

I didn't give him a chance to strike back. Even as I felt him taking a step forward, I had already turned and pushed him back a little bit.

"Alright, let's go find a seat, okay, Edward?" I pushed on him a little. He was too tense for me to actually move him but I was hoping he'd get the hint. Finally breaking his if-looks-could-kill stare with Rosalie, he looked down at me and nodded slightly. I felt him relax a little and quickly threw a glance over my shoulder to Alice. She smile apologetically and draped an arm around Rosalie's waist, effectively ending the stand off.

Edward took a few shuffling steps backward, his eyes still locked onto mine. The fury and anger behind them was definitely meant for Rosalie, but my body didn't really care. My stomach lifted and my fingers that were still wrapped in his twitched a little. He stopped suddenly while I took another step forward. My body pressed into his and he pulled me even closer. Lifting me onto my toes, his lips lowered to mine, pressing hard. Forcing my mouth open, his tongue sought out mine, wrapping around it and taking all that he wanted. Out of breath and feeling a little dizzy, I pulled back to look into the green fire of his eyes again.

"I will gladly let you work out your anger later," I breathed. "But right now it's time to check out Emmett's cock."

It was hard not to laugh as I watched Edward's ego deflate right in front of my eyes.

"Sorry, but it's true!" I clutched at his shirt as he dropped his head in playful dejection. "I've already had one Cullen cock, I need to know if it runs in the family."

Edward's hands shot up to the sides of my face, his eyes close to mine. "There is nothing my brother can offer you that I can't – won't - give you."

The seriousness of his words matched the severe expression on his face and I laughed nervously. I was not about to agree to a date or going steady or whatever ridiculous notion he seemed to always have in mind. This was supposed to be a fun, non-date night. Nothing serious. Tilting my head up a little to kiss the tip of his nose, I smiled innocently at him.

"I didn't say he'd be as skilled with it as you. Just that I wanted to see it."

I pretending not to hear Edward's sigh amidst the loud music. Seconds later beams of light were swirling about the room and an announcer was speaking. It was the moment of Emmett's big debut. Turning to the stage, I noticed for the first time that the set up was a little different than the last time. A wide, red runway ran down the center of the room. Festive white lights twinkled along the edges of it and the spotlights dimmed just a little. From the crowd surrounding the runway it was easy to see the height of the platform that Emmett would be performing from. I figured it was no coincidence that Alice had planned it so the spectators would have perfect eye contact with Emmett's cock while he strutted his stuff. Laughing a little, I bounced on my toes to see if he was out yet. The announcer was still rambling on but it was difficult to make out the individual words he was saying over the screaming of the crowd. I was curious as to just how much humiliation Alice had planned for poor Emmett but didn't really want to be any closer than where I was. Not only for Edward's sake, but for mine as well. I really didn't care about Emmett's cock at all. If you've seen one, you've seen them all. And I hadn't been kidding when I'd said that Edward was skilled. Quil and Embry couldn't hold a candle to Edward's lips, let alone any other body part. And Jake. Well, Jake was collecting dust in my bedside drawer.

The music suddenly changed and the slow, booming bass shook through the floor. It was a classic, bluesy Christmas song that sounded way more down and dirty than it was ever meant to.

"Do you think Emmett picked this, or Alice?" I turned to Edward but he only shrugged in response. Stretching his fingers loose from mine, he let go of my hand.

"As much as I support Em, there is no way I can stand here and watch him shake it to Elvis singing 'Merry Christmas Baby.' No way. I'll go take some research notes. See maybe if I can find some of those ribbons lying around somewhere." Edward started to walk away but I reached for his hand, effectively stopping him in his tracks. Looking down at our hands for a second, his eyes made their way to mine. "I'm pretty open-minded, Bella, but watching you watch my brother…" Edward trailed off.

Not letting go of his hand, I felt around in the dark and finally found what I was looking for. An empty chair. Dragging it away from the crowded table, I set it between us and turned the back of it to the stage. The music got a little louder and the spotlights rocketed toward the runway. Emmett was about to come out.

Pulling Edward toward the chair, I clamped my hands down on his shoulders and pushed as hard as I could. Understanding, he sat down and looked up at me. Settling his hands on my hips, he pulled me toward him. "You really want me to stay?"

Dropping my hips just low enough to brush his legs with mine, I lowered my lips to his ear. "Let me enjoy the show and I'll give you something else to enjoy." Tracing a light line along the curve of his ear with my tongue, I felt Edward shiver beneath me but his hands tightened on my hips.

"So you're going to get me off by watching my brother?"

I couldn't help but laugh. He still didn't get it. Standing up but still holding his gaze, I firmly shook my head.

"I'm here to support, Alice. She's been planning this all week. I could care less about your brother's cock." Lowering myself to sit on his lap, I rolled my hips a little. "And I want you to be nearby when I'm ready to go."

Edward lifted one eyebrow. "Ready to go or _ready to go_?"

"I think you know which one."

Edward's hand fell away from my hips as he lifted them to cradle his head. "Then, by all means, let the show begin."

His timing could not have been better. Emmett was taking the stage. Rising up from Edward's lap, I stood up so I could just make out the runway over Edward's head. It was hard to tell from this distance but it looked like Emmett was sporting a little gift for the guys and gals in the club tonight. Letting the laughter rock through my body, I leaned into Edward and slid down his body just a little. Stopping so that my tits were right in front of his face, I brought one hand up to stroke myself. Tracing a light circle around my erect nipple with one finger, I felt Edward's warm breath on the fabric of my shirt.

On stage, Emmett had cycled through an impressive array of poses and was now beginning his first strut down the runway. Jerking and rocking his hips in time to the music, the shrieks coming from the crowd were only getting louder. And with each wail from the floor, Emmett's grin grew a little wider. Alice had said something about Emmett being more reserved as of late. But I wasn't seeing any signs of a shy and retiring Emmett. Quite the opposite. I had to wonder if Alice had anticipated how much he might enjoy this. Another quick hip thrust toward the audience and some lucky lady – or fella – caught hold of the bow on Emmett's package and the strings were now hanging loose.

Pulling away from Edward's mouth that was getting dangerously close to my tits, I reached both hands up to pop a few buttons loose on my shirt. Grazing my fingertips down the exposed and rounded flesh that was now visible just over the lacy top of my bra, I heard Edward groan beneath me.

Emmett grabbed hold of his loosened bow strings and stroked himself with them. It was hard not to notice that his package seemed to be growing. Reaching the end of the runway again, he turned and flexed, causing a fit of squeals to erupt from the crowd. The proximity of the patrons allowed for more than one ass grab and Emmett seemed to be enjoying every second of it. So far Alice's plan for humiliation seemed to be failing. I imagine most guys wouldn't want to be fondled by a crowd of horny club-goers while wearing a red satin G-string, but Emmett seemed right at home on stage. Turning to face the crowd again, he pulled slowly on the string until it came loose from his package. Whirling it overhead and rolled his hips, he flung it out into the crowd. I knew from experience it was just a sea of darkness beyond the bright lights onstage. Even from my view in the audience, I had no idea where the little piece of his costume had ended up.

Trailing my hands down my chest and over my stomach, I transferred my touch to Edward. Tickling my fingertips down the sides of his neck, I dragged the pad of my thumb along the rough skin of his jaw. Circling his lips, I slipped my thumb into his mouth. The firm clench of his teeth on my skin made my spine tingle. Letting him swirl his tongue around my thumb a bit, I threw back my head and dropped a little lower. Pressing my tits into him, I bit back a moan at the pleasure that ached through my nipples. Pulling my thumb from his mouth, I slipped my tongue in to replace it. Sucking on his lips, I bit at his tongue as it entered my mouth. Trailing my moist thumb down the long line of his neck, I flattened my palm against his shoulder and slipped my hand around to the back of his neck. Scratching at the skin just beneath his t-shirt, I moaned into his mouth a little before pulling away.

As I moved my mouth to nibble at Edward's neck, I could see Emmett still had his package wrapped. Hooking his thumbs into the red sack, he pulled the fabric away from his body and playfully peeked down. Slipping a hand inside, he pulled a long stroke out of his cock but kept it concealed from the audience. Frantic cries arose from the crowd and it only made him move slower. Stroking himself again, he tilted his head back and closed his eyes. Thoroughly enjoying the act of publicly pleasuring himself, the lights shone brightly off of his teeth as his mouth set into a wicked grin. Alice's plan was definitely backfiring.

My legs were starting to ache from holding such a wide stance over Edward's lap. Sinking down a bit, I was rewarded by what I found. The worn denim of his jeans did little to mask the inviting stiffness of his cock. Rocking my hips back and forth, I lightly grazed his impressive bulge. The hiss that rose up in his throat was easy to hear as I bit at his collarbone. Still gripping tightly at his upper back, I let my other hand wander down. Enjoying every tense ripple of the muscles that ran down his stomach, I finally reached what I was looking for. Deftly popping the button on the waistband of his jeans, I noticed his hips lift slightly toward me. Tickling his neck with my laughter, I licked my way up to his lips again and started slowly kissing him. Pulling back just before he could put his tongue in my mouth, I rose up again.

At some point Emmett had lost the red wrapping of his eagerly anticipated present. But it was still hidden from sight as he had both hands covering the coveted prize. Rolling his hips into his hands, he licked his lips to the pleasure of the screaming audience. Keeping one hand covering his cock, he lifted the other to reach behind his head. Flexing his biceps and arching his back, Emmett danced a slow circle and gave everyone another view of his bare ass.

Edward accommodated my hand that had wandered down to his jeans. Leaning back in the chair, he lifted his hips a little more as I brought both hands down to slowly undo the buttons on his fly. Luckily my hand was small enough to slip in against his warm skin without too much maneuvering. The rough fabric of his jeans scratched against my knuckles as I reached deeper into his pants. My fingertips grazed the smooth shaft of his cock and his hands flew to my hips. Holding me in place, I teased the base of his cock again, pinching at the skin and sending him squirming beneath me. Reaching up to tangle the fingers of my free hand into his hair, I yanked at the roots and peeked over his head at the stage.

Emmett had both hands behind his head now but his back was still to the audience. Just as he pivoted to face everyone, one hand came down to rest over his cock again. Teasing the audience, he strutted down the length of the runway, threatening to reveal all at any second. Hands reached into the spotlight, grabbing at a chance to pull Emmett's hand away. As much as I knew Alice wanted to put Emmett in his place, there was no way she would actually let anyone get a hand on him. He laughed and came closer to each hand that he passed. Or would she? The crowd pushed closer to the stage, spotlights glinted off of mouths that shouted out encouragement. They seemed really close, too close. It was almost comical that the scores of anonymous, gaping mouths were just inches from his nearly exposed cock. And Emmett seemed all the more excited by their proximity.

Removing my hand from Edward's jeans, his whimper was unmistakable even with the loud music. Stroking both hands through his hair, I tugged on the gorgeous bronze strands again and pulled his head back so that his lips lined up with my neck. Just as his lips began lavishing kisses on my tingling skin, I guided on of his hands off of my hip. Pressing my fingers into the back of his hand, I set a stroking pace against the warm center of my jeans. Rocking his hand against me, his thumb stroked at the skin just above the low rise waist of my jeans. Tucking his thumb inside, he pulled a little and I dropped down. Moving his hand at the last second, I was cursing the two layers of denim that were still separating us. Grinding against the open fly of his jeans, I locked my arms around the sides of his head and pulled his lips to mine. Clutching at my lower back, he stretched one hand up beneath my shirt and the other dipped into the back of my jeans. Holding me closer and tighter, I sunk further into his mouth, pressing harder into his incredibly stiff cock.

The abrupt silence that echoed through the club was the only reason I could think of to stop kissing Edward. As I peeked around him, he turned his head as well, too curious not too. Emmett was frozen on stage, striking a ridiculous pose, the cocky grin fast fading on his face. His cock was on full display, a hand wrapped tightly around his generous girth. A hand that wasn't his own. The red lips of the hands-on spectator were glowing in the lights illuminating the stage. And as they curled into a familiar smirk ripe with conceit, I knew immediately who that hand belonged to. Rosalie.

**END A/N: I know, no real lemon here, right? That's where your gift to me comes in. I love getting my inbox filled with story alerts, author alerts and favorite stories, so I know you all are reading... but where are all the reviews? So, tell me... what sexy lemon do you want to read out of tonight's activities? How Bella and Edward get inspired by the club scene? Just what type of acrobatics that Alice is capable of? Why Jasper is not working but not dressed either? Or perhaps Emmett and Rosalie take the show to a more private setting? So make that your gift to me! Which one do you want to read before we move on and see what Las Vegas has in store for Bella! Thanks for all the alerts and favorites and in advance for all the reviews! ;) And here's to a splendid New Year!**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N" I know, I know... where the hell have I been? Blame Edward and Bella, is all I gotta say! Despite the few brave souls who wanted to read about what went down with Emmett/Rosalie or Alice/Jasper, everyone else wanted more of Edward and Bella. Needless to say, they were being fairly tight-lipped about what went down following Emmett's little peep show. (Ugh, don't you hate when that happens?) After beating up myself and the computer for weeks on end, I finally decided to move on to the next chapter and see if they were a little more forthcoming. Turns out they were! So that was a whole lot of words to tell you that this actually doesn't take place right after Emmett's debut, we're talking a few days later. They do allude to some stuff that happened that night but not enough to confuse anyone... and I hope to include that night as a future outtake at some point. Now for the most important bit of info... yes, there is an Edward and Bella lemon here... I hope you enjoy it as much as they do!**

**Disclaimer: Nope, not mine.**

BPOV

It was amazing how quickly the words were flowing through my fingertips and onto the computer screen. I felt slightly vindicated in telling off Liz in my most recent ranting text. I understood her position as my editor was to keep me productive and make us both money but I also thought she was supposed to encourage my creative freedom. And yet she was pushing for more smut. It was partly my fault, I'd delivered three new novels in as many weeks what with Edward fulfilling every riverboat gambler, cowboy hero and backwoods lumberjack fantasy I could dream up. And there were other ideas swirling around in my head but I was keeping them at bay. I was trying to keep Edward at bay.

I'd tried, unsuccessfully, to use Emmett's peep show as a way of distancing myself from Edward but we didn't even manage to stick around to see just what happened between him and Rosalie. Sure, we'd fired off a few quick texts to Alice to make sure Emmett wasn't getting his ass kicked but otherwise we were too busy doing our own tandem strip show in Alice's office to be alarmed that they'd left the club together. No one still had the full story on just what happened between Rose and Emmett that night, but Emmett's face was in one piece the next time I saw him and it had a teeth-baring grin on it. But it wasn't Emmett's smile that I was desperately trying to kick to the back corner of my brain. It was Edward's mouth.

What had started out as fun in Alice's office before progressing to panty-scalding hotness that consisted of a closet, Edward's fingers, multiple orgasms and a live sex soundtrack on the other side of the closet door, eventually took a turn that was apparently too fast for my sex-addled brain to deal with. Somehow I'd managed to invite Edward to Vegas. I like to think he coerced the invitation out of me somewhere between orgasms two and three.

But instead of taking my frustration out on him, I decided Liz was my best target and I firmly stated that she would get no more smut from me until my Cancer Kid book was on the best seller shelf at Barnes and Noble. That promise had as much do with getting her off my back as it did with keeping my hormones in check while Edward and I were in Vegas. Sex was definitely less like work with him but he seemed hell-bent on confusing what we were doing with a real relationship. So now I just needed to prove that a weekend away between friends didn't have to include sex or romance. Resisting him for a few days should be fairly easy.

I nearly jumped out of my skin when the deep thought I was in cleared enough for me to realize that Edward was standing in my bedroom doorway. A small smile across his face, he held a white envelope in his hand but seemed content to watch me for however long he had been standing there.

"So you just sneak in now?" I asked as I repositioned my fingers over my keyboard and tried hard to look like I was working.

"Alice let me in. I did knock." His smile didn't waver.

"Oh," was about all I could manage to come up with.

"I just wanted to drop this off," he said, flapping the envelope in the air. "Plane tickets. The old fashioned kind, on paper and everything."

"Oh, okay," I cleared a little space on my desk for him to put them down.

"Well it looks like you're busy working, I'll leave you to it." Edward pushed himself off the doorjamb but hesitated. "Unless you need some help…"

"Um, not that type of work, I'm afraid," I said, shrugging.

"Really?" He looked a little shocked but not unhappy. "Good for you. How's it going? I'm sure Rosalie would be more receptive to having you shadow her now that she and Em have… well, I have no idea what they have nor do I care to find out. But still…"

"Nah, I'm going go it on my own for a bit. I'm really feeling it lately," I said.

"Okay, I'll leave you to it then. Sorry to bother you." This time he started to leave and for some reason I felt compelled to stop him.

"Wait," I called out and watched as he hesitated in the doorway. "I could use a break though, if you have a minute?"

"Sure," he said, changing direction to enter my room.

Pushing my chair back, I turned to face him as he took a seat on my bed.

"So, are you sure you don't want to back out of the trip now that you know what I'm working on?" I said, leaning back in my chair a little.

"Ah, nice try," Edward laughed as he shook his head.

"You know, what you did could be considered an unlawful way of obtaining consent," I smirked back at him.

"You and your multiple orgasms seemed just fine with the suggestion at the time."

"That many orgasms are bound to leave a woman in a slightly weaker state of mind."

"Damn, I'm not quite sure which part of that statement I like better… the many orgasms or the weak part…"

Edward laughed loudly at the scowl on my face and when I tried to kick him he deftly grabbed hold of my foot and proceeded to place it on his knee. Kneading my foot slightly, I lifted the other one up to get the same treatment. If he was doling out free foot massages, who was I to refuse.

"So, uh, what is the deal with this guy you're meeting in Vegas?" Edward bit into his lip a little as he worked his thumb into the sole of my foot.

I sighed loudly and closed my eyes for a minute, just concentrating on how good his hands felt.

"Quil was my first boyfriend," I started talking but kept my eyes closed. "I wasn't really any good at the relationship but was really good at writing about what we did. So I went with it. And so did he." I blinked my eyes open to Edward's intent gaze. "Right before I moved out here, he was getting really serious with his girlfriend and told me that when he popped the question he wanted to clear the air and tell her about us and everything."

"I don't really get why your relationship with him should matter? Just because you wrote about your sex life?" Edward's words dropped off as realization dawned on him.

His fingers slowed briefly but a quick wiggle of my toes reminded him of what he was doing. Smiling down at my feet in his hands, he started back up again before looking at me.

"You were researching with him, he was dating her," he said.

"Exactly," I said. "On the upside, she's apparently my biggest fan so there's a slim chance that I won't get the shit slapped out of me when he tells her."

"Ooh, a cat fight in Vegas?" Edward laughed.

I could only cringe in response. Edward's long fingers reached up my calves and stroked at the knots of tension there. I could feel my muscles slowly loosen under his expert touch and I stretched my toes into his lap a little more.

"I find it hard to believe that it was you who wasn't any good at the relationship."

I quirked my eyebrow at him in warning.

"All I mean is that you seem to be good at everything…"

"Nicely played, Edward," I lowered my eyebrow. "I just think I'm better at one task at a time. I couldn't make the personal side of the relationship work but I could the professional side."

"Ever think it might have been him?" Edward asked.

"No, Quil's a great guy."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean he was the guy for you."

"Oh, I hear a pitch coming on," I started to lift my foot out of his lap but his hands held tight to me.

"No, no, no more asking you out on dates. I've learned my lesson. All that gets me is screwed in a closet… oh wait a minute. I'm having a hard time remembering now why that's a bad thing." He tickled the bottom of my foot and I squirmed in his hands.

"Quit it, Cullen," I warned through my laughter.

"I know more than your ticklish spots, Swan." One long finger inches up toward the back of my knee.

"Pleased to see we're on a last name basis, now," I shifted my leg away from him a little.

"Speaking of names…"

"Do I want to know where this is going?" I asked.

"Since I'm meeting Quil and I know the deal with him, I kinda feel like you should fill me in on the others."

It was definitely time to get my feet back on the ground. Leaning forward over my knees, I dropped my head into my hands and leveled what I hoped wasn't a completely pitiful look at Edward.

"He wasn't just my first boyfriend, he was it," I said. "The only one. So I'm afraid there are no other names."

"Maybe not other boyfriend names…" Edward said, his long fingers cupped over his knees.

"Ah ha. You mean research partners?" I felt a smile spark on my face.

"Exactly," he said.

His handsome features took a second to absorb his cringe and I was immediately distracted by the fine bones of his strong jaw. Abruptly standing, I quickly tried to remember what we were talking about. Right, research.

"Sure you can handle it?" I asked, pretending to be busy straightening some papers on my desk.

"Definitely not. Tell me before I change my mind."

The bed creaked and I couldn't help but turn. He looked casual enough, sprawled back on my bed, but his face betrayed him.

"Embry. Oh and Jake, I guess," I said, shrugging and knowing full well that it would drive him crazy.

"And?" he lifted an eyebrow.

Bumping my knees into his, I planted my hands on my hips.

"What? Do you think I have a guy on the side for every novel I've written?"

Edward sat up a little, propping his elbow beneath him.

"Bella, the Jessica Stanley series has close to a dozen books in it alone. That's a lot for three guys to take on," he said.

"Well before you call bullshit on me again, let me repeat myself. Quil, Embry, Jake. That's it," I said, worrying that my voice was verging on a defensive shriek.

"That's some crazy shit those guys got to try…" Edward dropped back down onto the bed, throwing his hands beneath his head. I could see his smile from where I stood.

"I told you no one ever took me to a sex club. In fact, I only used Quil once or twice when I was researching Jessica. Most of that was all in my head."

"Kinky girl, huh?" He lifted his head long enough to wiggle his eyebrows at me.

That is the sort of behavior that gets something thrown at you, I looked around for anything but came up empty.

"Uh uh, not me. Jessica."

"Jessica looks an awful lot like you…"

"And Stephen King's narrators are all writers…"

"Does that mean you researched with him too?"

"No."

"So any chance I'll be forced to meet the rest of the think tank? Embry and Jake?"

"I'm hardly forcing you to meet Quil," I laughed. "I think it's the other way around in fact…"

"You're changing the subject…"

"You're not doing a very good job of remembering just how this whole Vegas thing went down."

"Oh I remember exactly who went down."

And let the distraction begin again. Just a foot away from me, beneath those jeans that are lying all over my bed anyhow… but he probably knew it too. All I needed was another head lifting smirk…

"No," I said.

"No?"

"No, you will not have to meet Embry. Trust me, he was a very last resort, writers block type of situation."

"And Jake?"

It was the immediate comparison in my head between Embry and Jake that had me doubling over with laughter. After all, Embry was a flesh and blood man who was lucky if he could keep it up for longer than it took to go over the notes I'd written. Jake was a hunk of plastic that was a miracle of modern science as far as I was concerned. He owned more of my orgasms than Quil and Embry put together. Of course with Edward thrown in the mix… let's just say blood and flesh were finally catching up.

"So Jake's the one with the sense of humor too?" The edge was back in Edward's voice and as much as I wanted to be glad for putting his smug face in its place, I knew I wasn't about to go Googling hot guys that I could claim Jake to be.

"Oh Edward," I sighed, still laughing a little.

"Please Bella, at the risk of completely forfeiting my cool, I have to know," Edward said as he sat up again, effectively forfeiting his cool. "Who's Jake? Is he Alice's brother? Jasper's identical twin? Oh god, is he a dancer at the club? Is he really young? Like jailbait young? Oh no, Bella is he really old? Like living in a wheelchair old? Sprouting hair from enough of his body to look like the wolfman? I'm dying here."

And so he appeared to be. If I wasn't laughing so hard I might feel sorry for him. After all, I liked the hand-wringing Edward almost as much as the cocky bastard Edward, they both had so much to offer.

"Okay, okay, I'll tell you. Just please, no more speculating. I think I'm about to die," I choked out between laughs.

Reaching a hand over to push my door closed, I watched the anxiety fill Edward's gorgeous green eyes. Taking a few deep breaths, I closed my eyes briefly before looking to Edward again.

"So I said that Quil was my first boyfriend-"

"And only," Edward was quick to add.

"Yes, first and only boyfriend. Well, I've known Jake for almost as long."

Crossing the room, I passed alongside the bed and over to my nightstand.

"So-"

"Uh uh, let me finish. Please, no interrupting," I wagged my finger at him before putting my hand to the tiny crystal knob on my nightstand drawer.

"Okay."

Struck by inspiration, I nodded at Edward for a second before speaking. "Close your eyes."

Instead of closing them he raised a curious eyebrow.

"Lay back and close your eyes," I repeated. "Please." I'd thrown it in as a lark but it seemed to have an almost magical effect on him. He was laying back and had his eyes half closed before I knew it.

"Okay," I resumed my previous train of thought as Edward stretched out across my bed. "So I've known Jake for almost as long as I've known Quil. We go way back. You know how I said that Embry wasn't very good at… um, his job?"

"Uh uh."

"Well, Jake was my back up. He always came through for me. Helped me out with some of the really tricky Jessica Stanley stuff and always managed to keep me inspired when the other guys let me down."

"He's sounds like a real dreamboat," Edward sounded as though he was rolling his eyes behind closed lids.

"We have a very intimate relationship, Jake and I." It was almost too easy. Knowing Edward couldn't see my teasing smile, I emphasized the present tense when I referred to Jake. And the satisfaction I got in watching Edward squirm a little was well worth it.

"No shit," he mumbled.

"Besides he has sentimental value to me, Alice sort of… introduced us," I was desperately trying to hold back the laughter now.

"Great. Please tell me Jake isn't blond-dipshit-in-the-other-room's real name?" Eyes still closed, Edward jerked his thumb toward my closed door. I guess Jasper must have been here when Alice let Edward in. Huh.

"Jasper? No, definitely not," I said.

"Thank god. I've kind of had my fill of him…" Edward's voice trailed off.

"You didn't seem to mind the other night at-" I couldn't help myself.

Now his eyes were on me, burning green fire. "We are so not talking about that!"

"Uh uh uh, close your eyes," I smiled innocently at him. "Please."

He was so easy.

"So where was I?" I quietly slid open the drawer on my night stand.

"Alice introduced you to Jake," Edward sighed. "You know Alice sort of introduced us…"

"That's a stretch but I'll give you it. Alice did sort of introduce us, but it's a little different with Jake. I mean, without Alice there would be no Jake." Edward's long fingers were starting to fidget on my bedspread as I closed the drawer and quietly climbed onto the bed.

"There is nothing you can say that will make that statement fare any better in my mind."

"Well she did pay for him," I said, slowly making my way over to him.

"And there we have it! Jake's a prostitute," Edward laughed loudly. "This is fucking fantastic. I'm thrilled you know that little condom trick because you've been sleeping with a gig-"

"Edward? Please shut up," I said, positioning myself in a straddle over his hips.

His eyes fluttered open and before I could put my hand over them, he saw what I was holding in my other hand.

"Edward, Jake. Jake, Edward." And with that I pressed the button that brought my trusty vibrator to life.

"Shit Swan," Edward's eyes shot from mine to the vibrator and back again before he dropped his head back onto my bed. "I'm gonna need a minute to decide between a heart attack or a new spank bank image."

I laughed but didn't turn Jake off, deciding instead to lightly trace the shivering piece of plastic down the middle of Edward's t-shirt clad chest.

"God, I hope you don't decide on a heart attack. It would suck for the EMTs to get a stretcher up here. We don't have an elevator, remember?" I traced a few small circles on his shirt, getting lost in the pattern.

I didn't realize that he'd lifted his head again until I could feel his eyes burning on me

"Sounds like you don't mind me getting off to the idea of you… well, getting off."

Lifting the corner of my lips slightly, I removed Jake from his shirt and pressed it lightly against mine. Trailing a slow but steady line down between my breasts, I shook my head. I could feel my nipples harden and wasn't sure if it was the pulsating sensation of the vibrator or Edward's steamy gaze that was to blame.

Sitting up, Edward placed a tentative hand on the vibrator and I settled down into his lap where I could immediately feel just how aroused he was. Wrapping my fingers tightly around Jake, I closed the distance between our lips and pressed my mouth against Edward's. Hot and delicious as always, I was glad to be sitting and not have to worry about getting weak in the knees. But before I could drop the toy and dive fully into the kiss, Edward pulled back a little. A shy smile played on his yummy lips and I leaned in for another kiss. Biting at him, I wanted his mouth all over me but he pulled back again.

"You don't seem surprised that I jerk off to thoughts of you," he spoke around my mouth as I tried to get another kiss. His tongue darted out to lick his lips and I seized the opportunity. Roughly sucking his tongue into my mouth, I scraped my teeth along it and heard the whimper escape his throat.

"I would hope that you jerk off to me," I managed to answer before knocking him backward onto the bed with another kiss. Lifting up to meet me, his tongue strained against mine, twisting and licking. Jake vibrated steadily between us but my hands were too tangled in Edward's hair to care.

Stroking my fingers against his scalp as I felt his large hands stretch across my lower back, fingertips dipping into the back of my jeans, I rocked my hips against him and got an idea. Slowly working my tongue out of his mouth and kissing his irresistible lips a few dozen times, I finally sat up. Placing a hand on his chest and grabbing Jake with the other, I ghosted the tip of the vibrator just inches away from my mouth. Edward's eyes got a little bigger as he cleared his throat loudly. Pressing down into his erection, I watched him bite his lip and drew mine back into a wide smile.

"I'm sure you've got me all dressed up in Jessica Stanley crotchless panties, tied to your bedpost…" I made sure to leave my mouth open just a bit as I kept Jake nearby.

"Black lace crotchless panties…" Edward's voice cracked and trailed off and my smile grew a little.

"Oh, so predictable, Edward," I tsked.

"Fuck Bella, feel free to enlighten me."

Edward had risen half up off the bed again and I could feel the tight muscles of his core straining with the effort. He wasn't holding himself up but instead held a hand out to me, inches from my erect nipples that he couldn't stop looking at when he wasn't staring at my mouth hovering near the vibrator.

"Well, there's no black lace but if you'd like to help me out of my shirt-"

Edward worked fast. My shirt was lost somewhere in the room before I even realized he'd sat up.

"Disappointed?" I playfully pouted as Edward licked his lips while holding eye contact with my bare tits.

"Nothing is a pretty good runner up to black lace," Edward smiled up at me before leaning forward to take one of my nipples between his teeth. Biting lightly and pulling back, he looked up at me with that smirk that made me want to fuck him.

Taking my nipple into his hot mouth, he sucked deeply before releasing me. In one quick move he slid out from underneath me and was resting back against the headboard. He casually dropped a hand down on his thigh, close to his straining erection but not quite touching it.

"I have to admit, I'm shocked at your self control," I said as I turned the vibrator off.

"And disappointed?" he frowned at Jake, who now sat idle on the bed.

"Hardly. I just like to take my time, is all." I trailed my fingers up from my waist and teased my nipples a little to recapture his interest. It didn't take long.

He stretched his legs out a little and looked relaxed but between his raging erection and the fire in his eyes, I knew he was anything but. Pinching and rolling my nipples between my fingers tips, I lifted up off of my heels a little and mewed quietly for his benefit.

"Of course, I prefer your teeth and tongue but if I just imagine them…" I closed my eyes and continued tugging. Just as real as any character I may conjure up, I could envision Edward kneeling before me, devouring my tits with his capable mouth. Circling my nipples with his warm tongue and plucking at them with his perfect teeth. I shifted my legs together a little bit and decided that my jeans were definitely in the way.

Quickly opening my eyes, I slipped to the edge of the bed and popped the button on my pants before shimmying out of them. Edward looked mesmerized as he mimicked the button popping on his own jeans. He sighed loudly and pressed one firm stroke against his hidden cock before resting his hand back onto his leg. His other hand twisted in the fabric covering my bed and his eyes made a slow circuit over the length of my body. I was wearing green panties and when I slipped them off, I let them hang from my finger for a second before catching his eye. Tossing them across the bed, they fell just inches from the pulsing bulge in his pants. Freeing his hand from my bedspread, he gingerly picked them up and curled them into the palm of his hand until they disappeared.

"Don't do anything to those, they're my favorite pair," I said as I walked back over to the bed, free of all clothes.

"Mine too," Edward grinned.

"Good. I trust you'll take good care of them," I climbed slowly onto the bed and started crawling across the covers.

"If I promise to wash them, can I get them dirty?" Stray locks of his hair fell across his forehead and into his eyes, making him look completely devilish as he said it.

Picking up Jake, I dropped a hand demurely in my lap and pouted.

"They're very delicate, if you ruin them you'll have to buy me a new pair."

"I'm fairly certain I can handle buying you lingerie," Edward said as he moved the hand clutching my panties a little closer to his crotch.

Rubbing a hand across my stomach and up to my exposed tits, I slowly circled one nipple and then the other before responding. "Okay, just make sure you tell the sales girl…"

"Yeah…" Edward spoke from deep within his trance.

"…to pick a color that matches your eyes."

If Edward was surprised by what I said, it was hard to notice for I chose that exact moment to turn Jake back on. The buzz was quiet, quieter than either of our breathing. I traced the tip of the vibrator up and down my legs as I sat kneeling in front of Edward. The closer I got to my hips, the more the sensation synched up to the fluttering in my stomach. My skin tingled and pricked in the wake of the vibrator and Edward sat patiently, watching my slow and methodical movements.

"Now usually I'd be lying down…" I began.

"By all means…" Edward motioned somewhat stiffly with his non-panty hand.

"But for you I'll make an exception," I continued.

Lifting up to my knees a bit, I finally allowed the vibrator to brush against the lips of my pussy. The moisture that was already there seemed to grow even more slick and settling Jake just beneath me, I lowered myself just enough to hold it in place.

A sharp exhale came from Edward and I looked up in time to see his hand move a little closer to his still-trapped cock. Glancing up at Edward set me a little off balance and I shifted a little lower, taking another inch of the vibrator in and it was my turn to exclaim.

"Too good," I murmured, this time sinking lower on purpose. Resting a hand on the bed beneath me, I held Jake in place and rode him up and down for a few strokes. Closing my eyes, I tried to focus on Edward's breathing as it grew just a little louder. The pulsating tip of the vibrator licked at the pleasure uncurling deep within and I tried to imagine any one of my favorite scenarios to help it along. But I couldn't conjure up my riverboat gangster, busted up cowboy, tuxedo-clad super spy, no one. No one but the man sitting just a few feet away from me.

Snapping my eyes open, my lower lip dropped as I took in the long lines of Edward's body stretched out across my bed. One hand was still tightly gripping my panties, the other one locked in place over the stiff rise in his jeans, unmoving. It wasn't even the soft, scant curls of hair that peeked out the crooked neckline of his t-shirt. Or the sturdy curve of muscle that roped down his upper arms. Even his strong jawline that was shadowed with the slightest scruff wasn't my undoing. It was those penetrating green eyes. Locking onto mine, he wasn't just watching me but really seeing me. And while I slowed in my movements, I dropped my other hand to the bed to brace myself. My legs were feeling weak and it wasn't just from riding Jake. Glancing down at the slip of green fabric bunched up in Edward's tensed hand, I smiled a little and bit into my lip.

"I thought you were going to get them dirty," I said.

He took long enough to respond to make me wonder if I had even spoken out loud. But his eyes finally flickered to his hand which flexed and stretched, green silk spilling out onto his leg. His other hand twitched a little in its caged grip over his trapped cock.

"Need a hand?" I lifted an eyebrow and reached my free hand toward him.

"No, I want to watch the show," Edward spoke in a deep rasp.

Slipping off his t-shirt, Edward then released the zipper on his jeans rather quickly, before slipping them off of his hips and finally urging his cock out of its hiding place.

Resting back on my heels, I decided to reward his show with one of my own. Watching as he gripped his length and tugged it slowly toward his stomach, I licked my lips and arched my back. Rolling my hips backward a bit, I let Jake slowly slip out of me before rocking back onto him. Edward's eyes were back on me.

"Fuck yeah," he growled.

Kicking his legs a little and using his free hand, he discarded his jeans before turning his attention back to my panties. Palming the thin fabric, he wrapped his hand around his cock and rubbed slowly against his impressive length. Matching his pace, the slick sounds coming from my work with Jake was definitely increasing our speed.

"My panties were thinking about your cock all day…" I said.

Edward flashed me a cocky smirk and sped up his hand a little more.

"Just your panties…" he said.

"There may have been more…" I said before dropping my head back and groaning as I pushed Jake deeper.

"Fuck Bella, like what?" he asked.

I snapped my head back up, eyes on his. "You need a fucking list?"

"Fuck yes," he growled.

"That's a whole lot of fucking," I mused, my thighs shuddering from the tension started to build within.

"Is that a promise?" Edward said, now twisting and tugging harder and faster. His swollen head slipped in and out of Edward's silk-lined grip.

"You up for a threesome?" I said, sinking down on Jake far enough to hold him in place. Reaching both hands up to twist my nipples, I dropped my head back and enjoyed the light tickle of my hair brushing against my spine.

"You, me and Jake?" Edward's voice was tentative.

Bringing my eyes back to his once again, I rolled my hips against the barely visible vibrator and moaned lowly.

"Jessica Stanley-kinky enough for you?" I breathed.

My panties were quick to join Edward's jeans somewhere in my room as he was suddenly on his hands and knees, lips inches from mine.

"Don't think it'll make me forget about the crotchless panties…" Edward whispered against my lips.

"God you're stubborn," I managed to say before his tongue was in my mouth.

Edward's hands found a tight clasp on my back, helping reposition me to lying on my back. Bringing a hand back to Jake, I stroked him in and out a few times, watching Edward watch my movements.

"Care to join us?" I smirked.

Edward's head bobbed slowly as I slipped the vibrator out. Reaching out with a long finger, Edward stroked the slick plastic shell that was wet with my arousal. His movements inched closer and closer to my skin each time before he was finally dragging that fantastic finger across my clit and down the length of the vibrator. Repeating his strokes a few more times, I used my free hand to get closer to what I wanted. When I wrapped my fingers around his hard and dripping cock, he shivered against me and I pressed my thighs tighter against his legs as he kneeled before me. Urging him forward, he was soon close enough that the head of his cock was lightly touching where I needed him the most. Wrapping my hand around the vibrator tighter, I pressed it against the rigid skin of his cock. His exhale was sharp and his eyes dark as he leaned into my grip, forcing his cock to press even tighter against the pulsating plastic. Lifting my hips a little, he brought a hand forward to help guide him. Dragging the head of his cock and the tip of the vibrator against the hot folds of my pussy, Edward groaned and briefly brought his other hand up to tug on my nipples. The distraction seemed to calm him a bit before I bucked my hips, desperate for release. Desperate for him. Stroking against me again and again he finally slipped in and the pressure set me on fire. The fast pulse of the vibrator and steady throb of his cock were driving me crazy and I realized I was moaning uncontrollably. Placing a hand against the rough line of Edward's jaw, I lifted my hips, drawing them both deeper in. Crying out as they plunged deeper, I barely registered the light bite Edward placed on the palm of my hand. Holding to the many sensations that were rocketing around inside my body was almost too much to bear. It was then that Edward started moving. Dragging out and pushing in, deeper and fast each time. My toes curled against my sheets, drawing the coolness of the fabric into my skin even as the fire inside threatened to blaze out of control. Rocking and pushing and pulling, Edward bit into my hand again and my hips jerked up wildly as I teetered on the edge. The thrusts stayed deep and hard and I whimpered as he started pulling at my tits again. Grabbing hold of his hair and clutching wildly, he moaned and pushed harder and faster. My breath was coming faster and faster and with each pant I could feel the waves of pleasure start to overflow my body. The fullness I felt was creating the most delicious pressure that suddenly burst apart. Sending a tingling sensation that shot down my legs and up to my fingertips, I shook and quivered around Jake and Edward, pulling them deeper in. Edward grunted and groaned and bowed forward from the force of orgasm as it called his out. Driving deeper still, Jake's vibrating tip licked at just the right spot and I was crying out again. Dragging a clawed hand down Edward's back, holding him to me, I bit at any part of his flesh that I could reach. His chin, neck, ear, shoulder. He tasted like sex and sweat and I never wanted the pleasure to end. Suddenly a little Vegas getaway wasn't sounding like such a bad idea after all.

**A/N: Up next, Vegas! Thank you, thank you, thank you for sticking with me!**


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: So... faster this time, right? ;) Viva Las Vegas!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

BPOV

Alice texting Bella.

Alice: I don't mind postponing the buffet until next week.

Bella: Uh, Alice, I hate to break it to you but Vegas is kind of known for their buffets.

Alice: Puh-lease, B. Nothing can compare to my Bacchanalia Buffet.

Bella: You do know which Vegas I'm going to, right? Sin City and all that?

Alice: If Jasper's gonna be *here*, I don't know how sinful it can really be.

Bella: You mean the hundred or so male strippers there aren't the same?

Alice: They're not Jasper.

Bella: I'll give you that. He is something special.

Alice: You have no idea…

Bella: I have a pretty good one…

Alice: Did you know he could do Sam's tree move? Without the fucking tree?

Bella: Sam? My Sam? Your Sam? *Fictional* Sam?

Alice: I've got just five words for you Bella. Who. The. Fuck. Is. Sam. :D

Edward finally sat down. It felt like it had taken him forever to stow his luggage. And it practically had, what with the very attentive flight attendant hovering around him. I mean, come on, he was in advertising… it wasn't all that sexy, was it? Taking a second to look him over, I realized her interest might have had something more to do with the casually rolled up cuffs and top two buttons undone on his crisp white shirt. Or maybe it was the perfectly pressed black pants that were finished off with a sleek and understated silver belt buckle. Then again the long line of his neck and barely noticeable stubble along his jaw was also a pretty good contender. And then there was the face. And the hair. Oh fuck, he caught me staring.

"See something you like, Bella?" Edward practically cooed.

I shrugged and looked down at my phone, trying to appear indifferent. "Just trying to figure out what had the flight attendant so hot and bothered."

"Was she? I hadn't noticed."

"Sure," I said, still not looking up from my phone.

"Well in that case maybe I should get her back over here. I mean if she was really hot _and_ bothered, I can't be letting that go to waste now can I?" Edward craned his neck over the back of the seat and I'll be damned if I wasn't debating whether I'd rather kiss the slip of collarbone now visible to me or slap him.

But his familiar smirk was firmly in place when he turned back to me and I relaxed into the seat a little. Glancing briefly back to my phone before turning it off and shoving it into my carry on, I turned to Edward.

"Do you think it could have been Alice?" I asked.

He raised an eyebrow, clearly not having a clue as to what I was talking about.

"In her office… you know, that night. Do you think it could have been her with Jasper?"

"No, definitely not," Edward said as he shook his head. "Except that it maybe could have been. Yeah, definitely. It was probably, definitely her."

"That is incredibly helpful," I said, laughing. "I'm so glad you cleared that up for me."

"Since I'm pretending I never heard you-know-who getting someone off while I was getting off, I'd rather not think about it," he said.

I expected the pilot to come over the loudspeaker any moment now. We should be airborne within the hour and I was anxious to be in Vegas. Edward had actually managed to schedule some business meetings and I was supposed to meet up with Quil and Claire later this afternoon. If our flight arrived on time, I could get myself pretty drunk before having to meet with them. And right now that was my plan.

The knot in my stomach had been slowly building over the last few days as I anticipated this meeting. I hadn't heard much from Quil after I'd told him that the flight had been booked so I had no idea just how much Claire already knew and just what she thought of me. With one extraordinary exception, I was not a fan of hospitals and didn't relish the idea of seeing the ones that Vegas had to offer. I really hoped Claire didn't practice martial arts or collect pocket knives or anything.

As I clenched and unclenched my fingers on the armrests of my seat, I knew it would look like fear of flying nerves to anyone not in the know. But Edward was in the know and was doing a really good job of pretending I wasn't silently freaking out next to him. I was mildly surprised that he hadn't offered to relieve some of my stress. Maybe it was too early in the flight for a little mile high action. As much as I had pledged to be celibate this weekend, I knew myself around Edward and fully expected a rapid crumbling of willpower in a fairly short period of time. It was easy to convince myself that I needed some distance from Edward when I was apart from him but those times were becoming fewer and further apart.

I didn't just see him at the club or Alice's other establishments, I saw him practically everywhere. Art galleries in Back Bay, the Neiman Marcus at Copley Place, City Hall Farmers Market, running on the Esplanade. I was beginning to feel like Meg Ryan in "You've Got Mail." Was Edward my Tom Hanks, following me around Boston just so he could pop up and pretend to bump into me? Not that our surprise encounters hadn't been pleasant. They often ended in coffee or falling in stride to tackle the trail alongside the Charles together. It was after our last impromptu five miler that I almost caved in. The thought of washing the sweat off of me in his shower sounded good and it's not like another two miles to his place – or the two orgasms I was practically guaranteed - was going to kill me. But it was what happened after the orgasms that would do me in. He wouldn't be as easy to sidestep as the last time I'd been at his place. Edward knew about my fight or flight response and would likely use his hulk of a brother to block the door. And then what?

But what little restraint I had on the ground in Boston was apparently too heavy to bring on board the plane. I was horny and trapped on a plane with Edward. In a few hours we'd be touching down in Vegas and I'd have no logical excuse as to why I should stay away from him. I could certainly use the distraction. And after spending a careful hour turning the options over in my mind, I settled on what had always worked for me in the past. A little research.

"Can you talk?" I tapped Edward on the shoulder.

He had ear buds in and his laptop out, but he promptly looked up and removed the headphones.

"Flying jitters all gone?" He smiled.

"They're not flying jitters and you know it," I said. "Um, I was thinking-"

"Yes," Edward cut me off.

"What?" I asked.

"Yes."

"How do you know what I'm going to ask?"

"I don't."

"So how can you answer me?"

"Well, if it has to do with you lifting the 'no sex' ban, then hell yes my answer is yes."

"And if it's something else?"

"Then, yes. If it's something that's going to make your life easier or help you out, I'll do it. I honestly can't think of a single reason to tell you no."

-0-0-0-

Getting Edward to agree to a little research had been almost too easy. Sure, he was going to get laid and all but I had a nagging suspicion that some sort of payback would be in order. But desperation had driven me to it and I figured I could agree to one date in exchange, after putting up a little bit of a fight, of course. At least he was predictable, even if he hadn't asked for it yet.

My burgeoning ulcer begged me to embark on my little fantasy before meeting up with Quil but I knew I'd regret it if we rushed through the scenario. I was nothing if not thorough, if I was going to scratch my itch, I might as well make a buck while I was at it and, more importantly, get Liz off my case. Besides, Edward hadn't lingered long enough for me to consider it after we'd checked into the hotel. Staying in separate rooms per my stipulation, we parted at the front desk with the agreement to meet up later on the Strip. So while he conducted a few business meetings, I could get my little meeting out of the way. It was fast approaching and I'd only had enough time for one drink.

-0-0-0-

Four and a half hours later, I collapsed against the door inside my hotel room at the Bellagio. Anxiety, relief and shock were all battling for my attention, with anxiety quickly losing ground. Shock jostled its way to the forefront of my mind and as I passed by the bathroom mirror I confirmed that my jaw still hung slightly open as it had for the majority of my afternoon. Claire was truly my biggest fan.

"This is the best wedding present ever, Quil!" were words that still rung in my ears, screeched in high-pitched squeals when Claire discovered who I was. And her excitement only grew as Quil tried his best to explain our history together between her gasps and screams. What followed was an in depth examination of some of the more steamy scenes that Quil had helped me research and just what his involvement had been. She actually pulled out a pen and started marking notes in the book Quil had talked her into bringing along. Claire's only disappointment – other than me turning down her offer to join in a re-enactment of her favorite scene in _Captive On Wolfe Island_ – was that she hadn't brought all of her copies along for a detailed play by play. It was only when I promised to jot a few notes in them if she sent them to me that I could capture a waiter's attention and order a much-needed drink.

I didn't drink nearly as much as the afternoon warranted because I couldn't get Claire to shut up long enough to summon another waiter. Instead my efforts were spent trying to discourage some of her more outlandish suggestions, like me walking her down the aisle or giving her Jake as a wedding present. When I mentioned the cufflinks I tried to pass on to Quil, she landed a sharp slap the back of his head and continued to pound tiny but forceful fists into his arm until I agreed to send them to her as a wedding gift. Too little alcohol, more inappropriate comments than I could count and a few not-so-veiled attempts at making the aforementioned threesome happen, I finally managed to extricate myself. After a brief hug with Quil, a less brief hug from Claire and five minutes of begging me to kiss him like Jake did to Nessa in _Captive_, I was finally free from the craziest fan encounter ever.

I was already forty-five minutes late meeting Edward, but I still had to change. Before I could make a move to my luggage, there was a knock at the door. Already apologizing as I opened the door, I waved Edward in before running back to my luggage.

"So what are you sorry about? Standing me up or sending me to an imaginary location?" he asked, closing the door behind him.

"I didn't stand you up," I started to say as I unzipped my suitcase. "Wait a minute… I told you to meet me in the Desert Passage Mall at the Aladdin."

"Two imaginary locations," Edward said, holding up two fingers.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"Well, according to Ephraim – the incredibly informative concierge at the Mandarin – the Aladdin was remodeled into Planet Hollywood years ago." Edward leaned against the wall as I sat down on the bed.

"So the Desert Passage…"

"Ka-boom," Edward whispered, smiling.

"I think it's just the hotels they implode," I smirked back.

"Yeah but 'renovated'," he whispered it just as before. "…doesn't have quite the same ring to it."

"Well this sucks," I said, flopping back on the bed.

"I take it your research had me wearing harem pants," Edward said, wincing a little.

"Not for long," I murmured.

Rising from the bed to dig through my suitcase, Edward crossed his arms and eyed me curiously.

"Of course if you'll be wearing a skimpy little belly dancing thing…" he said.

Lifting the turquoise bikini top out of my suitcase, I dangled the matching sheer skirt in Edward's general direction. I had to laugh as he pushed off of the wall and visibly swallowed, taking a few slow steps toward me.

"Anything go under this?" he said in a low, gruff voice.

Reaching back into my bag, I withdrew a pair of gold bikini bottoms with an intricate cutout design that left just enough to the imagination.

"How 'bout this?" I asked him.

He grinned wickedly and finally met my eyes over the skimpy outfit.

"Not for long," he said.

-0-0-0-

The desert surrounding Agrabah was hot and unforgiving but seemed to be made of something more than mere sand. Spicy and sweet-smelling, it took on a magical quality only after the sun had set behind the dunes.

The Princess' sandaled feet padded across the warm sand that seemed at odds with the cool breeze that had settled in around the arching palm trees overhead. Touching a slim hand to the sleeping trees as she past, the Princess felt her way out of the palace grounds and down the hill into the city below.

From afar the palace looked regal in the blue moonlight, blazing torches sparkling against the marble façade. With only the slightest glance back, the Princess knew the truth about what lie within the fortress walls. Betrayal, lies and deceit. All the things that would make her palace a dungeon if she married any of the suitors her father had paraded before her. If she were to agree to a union with any of them, she would be a traitor to her own heart. Denying it the chance to ever find true love and happiness. To her, shiny baubles and perfumed skin were easy to turn away from. The finest comforts would not be able to ease her empty heart.

Fire lit the streets of Agrabah as the Princess' slipped silently into the crowds that were just beginning to enjoy the pleasures of the desert night. Delicious swirls of smoke twisted around her lithe form as she tiptoed around the jubilant crowds. Music danced in the air while people danced on the ground. Swinging lanterns hung high in a criss crossed pattern over the city streets and the Princess nearly bumped into a sword swallower as she looked up in wonder. Blinking her eyes apologetically and adjusting the veil that fell over her face, she side stepped a fire breather before continuing down the street.

Red sparks of flame shone across tables lined with beautiful jewelry and the Princess shook her head at more than a few vendors who called out to her. Dust whirled up around the hem of her flowing skirt and nearly got caught on the scurry of children that ran through the crowd. She was surprised to see children not only awake at this hour but encouraged to join in the celebration, hoisted onto shoulders and cheered as they wove a serpentine line through the streets. Stepping to the side of the street, the Princess nearly tripped over a tiny boy who was trailing behind as the end of the impromptu parade. He teetered on bare feet as he stretched to see where his friends had gone only to lose his balance and bump into a nearby cart. The wood creaked under the heavy weight of apples that were piled high and one fell from the top only to land just in front of the boy. His small fingers were quick to grab for the fruit but it rolled and the Princess gracefully plucked it from the ground before holding it out to the boy. Eyes wide and frightened, he shied away from her until the thin veil of fabric fell away from her face and he saw a small smile on her dark lips. Her skin was smooth and almost glowed in the moonlight and, as if in a trance, the boy's hand found the fruit. Closing both hands around it and hugging it tightly to his chest, the boy rushed off into the crowd as if he had just discovered the most precious treasure in the world.

The warm reminder of the boy's gentle touch lingered on the Princess' palm as a searing heat shot suddenly through her wrist. Wrenched high, until she was nearly dancing on the points of her shoes, she looked up into the angry eyes of a man whose face was mottled with beard stubble and sunspots.

"How dare you steal from my cart!" he bellowed in a low tone that the Princess could feel deep within her stomach. "Do you know the penalty for stealing!" He wasn't asking her a question and she didn't have to wonder what the penalty was as the silver blade sparked in the moonlight.

Swinging the saber high overhead, he slammed the Princess' hand down against the rough wood of his cart, clamping his palm down against her wrist. A thin line of white rode down the blade in a flash and the Princess felt her lips part as an ungodly scream fell from them.

And just as quickly as the burn from the man's hand had branded her skin, it was gone. A cool, but still rough, touch replaced it and she heard the distinct clatter of metal against the ground. Only having enough time to register the look of shock across the man's face, the Princess was being swept from the ground and felt herself flying through the air, closer and closer to the violently swinging lanterns overhead.

Pressing small fists into her tightly closed eyes, the Princess uttered every prayer she could think of as the wind rushed faster and cooler against her body. Aching points of pressure dug into her waist and she tucked herself against the cool, solid figure that seemed to be holding her. The musky scent of sandalwood flooded her face and she found her lips parting to welcome it in. Eyes still closed, she was suddenly and roughly thrown to the ground. Hard and cool, the Princess opened her eyes to find her face inches from a floor of rough stones. Letting out a captive breath and lightly scraping her fingers against the worn rocks, the Princess finally lifted her gaze.

She was in a house – or perhaps just a room – of some kind. Looking rapidly around, trying to get her bearings, she spotted the only source of light in the room was coming from a gaping space in a wall made from the same stone as the floor. There, a pile of burning lanterns were strewn about the ground, wax spilling into the cracks, what flames remained where flickering wildly. But it was the figure standing in silhouette that captured the Princess' attention. Shifting onto her feet, the Princess froze in a low crouch as it moved. The fine misty glow of the moon's light fell across his face. His green eyes danced like the crowds in the streets below and his dark hair fell in a messy swoop across his brow. The Princess felt her stomach tighten as she watched the tip of his dark tongue slip across his lips.

"First time in the market place, huh?"

The smug smirk that now danced across the stranger's lips enraged the Princess. For someone like him to assume anything about someone like her…

"So you think you have me all figured out?" the Princess' snarl came out far more biting than she had intended but there was something about this man.

Lifting his hands, he took a step back and shrugged. "Relax, I meant no harm, princess."

The Princess started at the mention of her title until she realized he'd meant it mockingly. He didn't really know. Quickly composing herself while he slipped through the shadows to a neat pile of fabric that she could only assume was his bed in the far corner, the Princess turned to face her rescuer.

"Well… thank you for… you know, saving me…" the Princess spoke quietly.

"You're quite welcome," he said, taking a seat on the floor, his back resting on the stone wall. "Next time you go venturing around the city at night though, I suggest you bring your handmaiden with you."

There it was again, the accusatory tone with which he spoke. Assuming he knew anything about her.

"What makes you think I have any servants?" the Princess challenged him, an amused smile lighting his face.

"You, princess?" his teeth shone white in the soft lighting. "You must have at least a couple dozen… just to deal with the heft of your temper."

"Temper?" the Princess crossed the room in four angry steps. "Do you have any idea who I am?"

Propping a carefree arm on his knee, the stranger lifted an eyebrow and peered up at her from under the fringe of hair falling across his eyes. "I could wager a guess."

The Princess was growing more infuriated with every word that spilled from his lips and yet she couldn't help but think how much more angry she was at not being able to see the clarity in his brilliant green eyes better. If only she could move his hair… before her traitorous hand betrayed her and stroked across the stranger's forehead, he rose and looked down at her. He hovered just inches from her face and she tried to hold her breath against the intoxicatingly musky scent that rolled off of him.

The rough pads of his fingers brushed against her cheek as he swiftly moved to touch the delicate strand of gold that swayed in a graceful loop from her nose to her ear. Flinching against his touch, the Princess had to fight the urge to lean into his hand as he moved on to ghost his hand over the golden swirls of her necklace that were no longer hidden by her veil. His other hand traced the lines of the elaborate cuff that encircled her upper arm, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Impressive display. They almost look real."

The stranger's voice had been a low, husky whisper and she waited to hear more of his enticing voice as he leaned in. But instead of speaking he pressed his face gently into the soft, voluminous curls of hair that cascaded down her back. She could feel him inhale slightly and the feeling of his breath so close to her skin made her tremble.

"You must be expensive."

The flush crept into her cheeks even before she realized what he was saying but her hand was quick to react. Slicing her outstretched hand through the air, he caught it just inches from striking his face.

"Ah, ah, ah now, princess. I don't pay for it. And even if I did, I wouldn't want it rough."

Fire burned in the Princess' cheeks and it was matched only by the heat of his hand around her wrist. But somehow it felt so much more pleasant than the last time her hand had been captured in such a way.

"I'm not a whore," she spat at him before wrenching her hand free, tears stinging her eyes.

It seemed strange to care so much about a careless insult from a complete stranger, but then no one had ever spoken to her in words that were anything less than praising. And now for the second time tonight, she'd been accused of being something she wasn't.

The stranger's green eyes penetrated hers and when she tried to look away, his empty fingers found her chin and lifted it gently.

"No," he lowered his voice. "I can see that you're not."

Holding her head up, he glanced down her figure again and didn't speak until he was looking into her eyes once again.

"Perhaps a little too pure. Untouched."

The shadow of a smirk touched the Princess' lips. She was indeed pure, but her proof had been spoiled long ago by the rigors of camel racing that young royals liked to engage in across the desert dunes. That was part of what made finding a suitor so difficult. Without the stained wedding sheets, she would have a difficult time securing an alliance for her kingdom.

The stranger tried to read the story behind her eyes and a small smile formed around his next words. "Or maybe not so untouched."

The Princess stepped forward and the stranger shuffled backward, only to find himself pressed against the wall. Stepping forward again, the Princess left little space between their bodies and finally began to move her own hands. Finally reaching for the messy locks of his hair, her fingertips traced light lines across his forehead. Stroking her hand through his hair and down to brush against his neck, she felt him shiver against her and she closed her eyes. Lowering her head so that it was almost touching his rapidly rising chest, she inhaled deeply and let his scent swirl around her. So unlike the trained and tethered suitors she was used to courting her, this was a real man.

Lifting her face to his again, she opened her eyes and lingered her gaze on his lips. Pulling her hand away from his neck, she reached for her veil that hung loosely over her head and across her shoulders. Pulling it free, her flesh rose in the cool rush that flew over her flushed skin. The stranger's eyes took in the rounded mounds of flesh that were now pressed against his chest, a thin stretch of fabric covering the pointed centers of her pleasure.

"Maybe not touched by the right man," the Princess breathed, stroking her own fingers across her chest, dipping one low enough to caress the dip in her cleavage.

It was easy to tell when the stranger held his breath. What little space remained between them would be flooded with the sweet citrus scent of his breath when he finally exhaled. Desperate to capture that flavor on her lips, the Princess lifted to her toes at just the right moment and swallowed his lips with hers.

Pulling his lower lip into her mouth, she sucked on it as if it was a piece of forbidden fruit. Darting her tongue out to sweep across it, she pressed her teeth into him before reached up higher to devour his top lip. Satisfied as having tasted how delicious his knowing smirk could be, the Princess parted his swollen lips with her tongue and playfully stroked at his. Teasing and testing, she whimpered and reached deeper, trying to get the full flavor of him on her lips but never being fulfilled. Spreading her hands across his chest, his skin felt like a welcome breeze against the fire inside of her. Pulsing her fingertips into his smooth yet hard flesh, she slipped a small finger through the tiny loop of silver that pierced one of his nipples. Aching to be deeper inside his mouth, she turned her head and pulled on his bottom lip again. Biting him closer to her, she plunged her tongue into his mouth again, welcoming the forcefulness of his own tongue. Twisting his ring further onto her finger, she tugged on it and eagerly swallowed his moan. Scratching her nails into his chest and pulling on the ring again and again, she finally pulled away.

The stranger dropped his head back onto the stone wall, eyes closed, chest heaving. The Princess stretched her hands wide on his bare chest and lowered her lips to capture his nipple ring on her mouth. Slowly licking her tongue across the cool silver ring, she flipped it gently and soothed his tortured skin with her warm mouth. Despite her lingering pace, the stranger's heartbeat remained fast and strong. Rough but tentative hands stroked along the Princess' bare shoulders before she finally stood and looked into his burning green eyes.

"Do you taste like apricots everywhere?" she said, blinking her long lashes over a smoldering stare.

Cupping his hand under her chin, he pulled her lips to his before quickly detouring to her neck. Sucking and licking, he murmured into her flesh. "What do you know about apricots?"

He was fast to move again, his face in front of hers once more, eyes burning wildly.

"There are no apricots in the marketplace," he challenged.

Willing her fingers to loosen their grip on his chest, the Princess traced a lazy swirl down around his taut stomach before fluttering her eyelashes again and finally looking back up to him.

"I've heard rumors of an apricot tree at the palace."

Stepping back slightly, the stranger mistook the Princess' move to be her backing away. Her fingers slipped lower until they rested along the strip of fabric strapped around his waist, her head dropped to his midsection where her pouting lips placed kisses along his skin. Her tongue darted out, tasting him, after each kiss as she worked lower and lower. As she settled onto her knees in front of him, those gloriously large eyes turned up to gaze at him again.

"And you don't taste like anything I've ever tasted before."

The Princess' small palm reached out and stroked the straining fabric just in front of her. Keeping her hand open, she could feel the hardness that lay hidden just out of her sight. Biting into her lip, she begged him with her eyes.

For the second time that night, the Princess was taken off guard, pulled fast to her feet by the commanding grip of the stranger. His fingers encircled her wrist, wrapping her arm around her back, holding her to him. She wanted to be enraged at his forcefulness but couldn't think of much beyond the hard pulsing of his arousal as it pressed into her stomach. Between the slim slip of fabric covering her chest and the low slung swing of her skirt, her bare torso threatened to burn through what little stood in her way of getting to taste all of him. But he had other plans.

She was unprepared for the flurry of footsteps but was suddenly back at the window they had entered through. The pile of flickering lanterns that were piled on the floor was dimming as the flames slowly burned out. It was the lights outside the opening, in the streets below, that illuminated the Princess' flushed complexion as the stranger whirled around behind her. Forcing his erection against her backside, he pushed her forward. She stood framed by the window but unable to feel the night breeze that buffeted her body as she burned with passion for the hard body pressed against hers.

"The streets are dismal and dark," his voice was a whispered growl so close to her ear that she started at the sound of it. "Plain, simple, nothing enticing or arousing."

The Princess swallowed deeply as the words slowly spilled from his lips.

"But the palace," his hand was on her chin again, forcing her head to lift. Forcing her gaze to settle upon the pristine portrait of her royal home as it bathed in the pale moonlight. "The palace seduces one like me. Calls to me. Intrigues me with her beauty. And someone like me is forbidden to enter."

The rush of excitement at his words forced the Princess' heart to beat even faster. Melting back against the stiffness of his tall body, she reached a hand up to stroke at his face and continued even as he flinched away from her.

"And who are you?" she whispered.

His hand stroked at the hair that fell over her shoulder. Pulling the thick strands so that they brushed against her back before finally wrapping his hand deep within her tresses. Roughly forcing her head to turn, his lips crashed onto hers. The kiss was hard but brief and when he pulled back the Princess was breathless but he was not.

"I'm a thief."

Another rough kiss was ripped from the Princess' lips before the thief released her just as quickly. His hands formed strong manacles around her wrists again and forced her hands to the hard stone just in front of her. Leaning down slightly so that her body slipped into the opening of the window, another chilling desert breeze struck the Princess as her skirt was ripped from her body.

The low moan coming from the thief's throat stirred something deep within the Princess and she arched her back, offering herself up to him. Drawing his open palm down the long length of her bare back, she shivered in its wake and found herself moaning as his other hand slipped beneath the moist silk covering her to stroke a long finger between her warm folds. His exploration didn't last long and soon he had both hands roughly dragging the ruined fabric down her legs.

The Princess' wanton whimpers mingled with the cacophony in the streets far below as the thief's hands returned to her bare hips. Pressing his thumbs into the flesh of her backside, his fingers parted her lower lips as the desert wind slipped against her heated skin. Rocking into his hands, he finally moved one finger to brush against her swollen bud, teasing and rubbing as the Princess' legs began to shake. Yet he rescued her again. Swiftly lifting her feet from the ground, the thief pressed her thighs around his hips. Skin on skin, he had somehow managed to free himself from the restraints of clothing and the Princess' hands shuddered against the smooth stone of the window sill. Bowing her head to rest on the cool rock, her head filled with the ragged beating of her heart, blocking out any sounds from the busy city beneath them.

Dragging his fingers across the Princess' slick skin, the thief gripped her hips and pressed himself forward. The pulsing head of his arousal thrust into the Princess, straining against the tightness her body held. Fingers grappling at the stones, the Princess gasped and threw her head back, straightening her arms as the thief thrust forward again. Her muscles deep within coaxed the thief's thick arousal deeper and deeper in, until he was fully embraced by her body.

The Princess arched her back and tightened the grip of her thighs against his sturdy body. Stilled deep within, the thief reached a hand forward to stroke the Princess' hair against her glistening back. Turning her head, she swiped her tongue out at his thumb as it passed and he saw the fire from the lanterns outside spark within her eyes. Rocking his hips, the thief slowly withdrew before plunging back into her, forcing a keening wail to escape her lips. Widening his stance to support her body, the thief's capable hands slipped beneath the Princess' arched body to rip apart the last remnant of covering on the beautiful body that was grasping him so tightly. Rolling her nipples between his fingers and thumbs, he elicited more shrieks of pleasure.

The Princess was panting, moaning and gasping as the thief pinched her nipples roughly before dragging his hands back down her body to clutch her hips. Driving deeply into her, he thrust and pulled, stretched and slipped, hitting new, deeper places and encouraging her arousal all the while. The noise from the blazing city streets below them mingled with their grunts that sounded as each slap of skin echoed in the cool room.

Moving faster now, the thief pressed up and into her, arching her back higher with each thrust. The Princess' arms shook but held fast to the low wall in front of her as she rocked against the powerful body behind her. Her inner walls clenched tightly around his sturdy length, seducing his power to remain inside of her. The drag of their skin against one another as he slipped out before thrusting back in again was the most delicious friction the Princess had ever felt.

Staggering forward, the Princess was shocked into blissful oblivion as the thief angled deeper and set her flying into the cool desert night. Spasms shot through her legs as they roped tighter around his waist and she wailed, throwing her head back. No longer tethered to the dusty chains of the desert, the Princess rose above them. Sailing through the air on a magical flight. Salty sweetness filled her mouth, her teeth digging into the flesh of her lips as another gust crashed over her. Electrified drifts stroked at her skin and she fell into the welcoming heavens.

The lanterns lay extinguished in a wilted heap on the floor. The Princess' legs gleamed in the soft moonlight that lazily drifted into the barren room but she was finding it difficult to discern which limbs were hers. Tangled in a state of pure enchantment, the Princess couldn't help but notice what little physical difference there was between royalty and a commoner. Soft kisses were placed on her closing eyelids and the Princess realized this was no commoner whose arms were wrapped around her. There was nothing commonplace or ordinary about this man. After all, he was a thief. That much he'd proven the instant he stole her heart.

**END A/N: Care to venture a guess as to which movie my kids have been watching lately? ;) So let me know how you feel about missing Alice's Buffet, or meeting Claire, or what you think Edward may want from Bella in exchange for the hot desert research. Thanks for reading!**


End file.
